Heir Apparent
by LilyRose Blue
Summary: When Michael meets a new girl at school she changes his outlook on life. But will the changes be welcomed by his family? Especially Carly? Michael/OC.
1. Chapter 1

Michael Corinthos III was working on his fourth day of school at Madison Prep and it wasn't much better than his first day. In his first day he had been picked on, threatened, and nearly expelled when he finally defended himself. Day two was much worse because more people were picking on him because he had gotten Bryce in trouble. And by day three the ones who weren't picking on him where whispering about him behind his back. And here he was on lucky day four a social pariah. He couldn't believe that getting a high school diploma was really worth all of the grief he was getting. He pretended that everything was okay for Carly and Sonny's sake but the truth was Michael was a changed man. But they wouldn't understand that…couldn't understand that. They still saw him as Michael the boy…not Michael the 18 year old man that had served prison time for killing a woman.

In silent moments like these Michael analyzed all of the choices that he had made in his short life and wondered at alternate outcomes if he had just done things differently. What would have happened if he didn't go to his father's warehouse that day….? Well, he probably wouldn't have gotten shot in the head and put into a coma for a year. Being known as coma boy drove him crazy and he was still feeling the effects of what that bullet had done to his brain. He wondered what would have happened if he hadn't killed Claudia…if he had just tried to restrain her? He wondered what would have happened if he had told the truth in the beginning instead of going along with the cover up plan that Sonny, Jason, and Carly hatched to protect him. He wondered what would have happened if he had stuck to his life instead of confessing to the murder in open court. To be only 18 years old Michael had made more life altering decisions than most people made in a lifetime. But even with all that he had been through because of Sonny and Jason's world he still wanted to be boss of the family one day. He felt like his life had gone too far off the rails for him to be a normal anything. But the head of the Corinthos crime family…that was something he believed that he could do if they would only give him the chance. But instead he was stuck here at Madison Prep with people who hated him or feared him.

Michael couldn't imagine having to be here in this school every day until May when he'd finally graduate. It was only lunch time and Michael was ready to break free. He was sitting in the court yard with his untouched lunch sitting in front of him. He realized that he must have zoned out because when he looked up his younger sister Kristina was staring at him with a puzzled looked plastered on her face.

"Michael? Have you heard anything that I have said…like at all?" asked Kristina frowning at her older brother. She could see the change in him and it scared her. No she wasn't scared of her beloved older brother. She was scared for him. Michael seemed to believe his life was hopeless and that worried her. Kristina ate another bite of her salad waiting on Michael to answer her.

Michael smiled at the puzzled look on her face and said "Sorry Krissy. I guess I was daydreaming for a little while. What did you say to me?" Daydreaming…that was something normal 18 year olds did with their time right? Daydreaming as opposed to reliving the nightmare that was his time in Pentonville.

"I was asking you if you wanted to come over to my house for dinner Saturday. Dad is coming over…you know one of those forced family meals. You should come…Jason even convinced Carly to let Morgan come over. It'll be all of us. Jason is even coming over because Sam will be there. It will be our whole little dysfunctional family." said Kristina with a hopeful smile.

Michael wanted to say no but he saw the smile on her face and he couldn't say no to her. Kristina had been through so much and he felt guilt for not being able to protect her from it all. "That sounds like a great idea Krissy. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Besides it will get me out of the loft. I am tired of walking on Lulu and Dante about to have sex or actually having sex. Lulu is my cousin and it is sort of creepy. Well, it is more than sort of creepy. I haven't seen Molly lately. What new book is she reading anyway?" Even though Molly was just his cousin he felt like she was another little sister for him to look after.

"Oh she is reading Jane Eyre...you know her and those books about love. She doesn't understand what love is really like…it is nothing like what she reads in those books." said Kristina. She shook her head thinking about how guilty Molly felt once she found out it had been Keifer abusing Kristina. Molly had pushed for Kristina to stay with Keifer because he was like some prince in Molly's eyes. "I am glad that you are coming to dinner Michael it will be fun." She looked over and saw her study partner Taylor giving her a wave.

Michael followed her gaze and saw the way Kristina was smiling at him. "Kristina go…"

"What? No! I am not going to leave you sitting here. Come with me." said Kristina. She felt guilty for asking Michael to come back to this snobby school. She knew that her brother was suffering for her benefit. But without Michael and Taylor being there for her attending Madison Prep would be unbearable.

"I will be okay here by myself. I need to study for Calculus anyway. The numbers are like a soup in my head right now. Besides I haven't finished eating lunch and you have." said Michael.

Kristina leaned her head to the side looking at her brother. "Okay…but I'll be just over there if you need me." Kristina got up from the table and picked up her books. She walked passed Michael touching his shoulder as she walked away.

Michael was glad to have a few minutes to himself. His life was essentially an open book right now. He was still on probation and sleeping on his older brother Dante's sofa. He never had a moment to himself anymore unless he decided to go on a walk. And even then with his electronic ankle monitor he had to stay within a certain radius. He kept reminding himself to be grateful that he was out of Pentonville but at the end of the day he couldn't help but feel bitter about the entire process.

Rose walked around looking for a place to sit in the courtyard. She sighed seeing that most of the kids were sitting in cliques that she knew she wouldn't be accepted in or didn't want to be accepted in. She knew one thing she hated this school and she wanted out of it immediately. But that wasn't going to happen her parents, Marco and Theresa Marino, were set on her getting the best education possible at Madison Prep. She spotted Michael sitting by himself and walked over. "Do you mind if I sit here?" asked Rose.

Michael looked up seeing this beautiful caramel skinned girl that he had never seen before. She had long chocolate brown hair that matched her chocolate brown eyes. He admired the way her white button up blouse hugged her chest. Michael shook his head feeling uncomfortable. "Uh, yeah sure have a seat. But I have to warn you…being seen with me will be bad for your reputation." said Michael.

Rose smiled a little at Michael and said "Thanks…I didn't really see anywhere else to sit. Well, I am new here anyway so I don't really give a damn about a bad reputation." She had a seat across from Michael. "I am Rose…Rose Marino." said Rose. Rose started eating her lunch. She felt the eyes in the courtyard on the back of her head as she sat with the resident felon, but she couldn't care less.

"Starting off with a Joan Jett reference? I like it…I'm Michael Corinthos." said Michael. Sometimes he hated saying his name because he knew the reaction that it would draw from people. Some people would hate him, some would be afraid of him, and some would want to be regaled with tales of the mob world that he didn't have to tell or care to tell.

Rose just smiled and said "I know who you are Michael. I've seen you around. I saw the way you kicked that guy's ass Monday…good for you he deserved it. It is nice to meet you Michael." Rose noticed the Calculus book sitting in front of him. "I think you are in my Calculus class…you are in Mrs. Rush's first period class right?"

"Oh…that was…I should have walked away…I could have gotten kicked out if my brother hadn't conducted an impromptu investigation." Michael nodded "Yeah, I am in that class, are you?" He shook his head and laughed a little. Of course she had to be in that class with him. "Sorry…that was a stupid question…so you said you are new here…? Where are you from?"

"If you let one person push you around they will all do it. No one else has tried to fight you right? I think you did a good thing standing up for your sister and standing up for yourself. I would have done the same thing. My family moved here from Miami a month ago. My dad had to relocate here because of business. He owns an international private security firm. And no I don't mean like mall cops." said Rose. She was used to always having to explain to people what her father's business was. People heard security and automatically thought rent-a-cops.

Michael smiled and said "Well, no…no one has tried to take me on again. But there is a downside to people being afraid of you. I am surprised that you aren't afraid to sit with the felon." Michael frowned after calling himself a felon. He knew that it was something that would follow him around for the rest of his life. What career could he have where a felon would be accepted…except in the family business? "I knew what you meant when you said private security. You mean the ex-law enforcement and ex-military types looking for higher pay protecting businessmen and expensive stuff…paramilitary types."

Rose said "Well, let's just say…my upbringing gives me a…unique outlook on law and order. Not everything is black and white. There are shades of purple and gray all around us. And sometimes…the right thing to do…isn't always the legal thing to do." Rose smiled and said "I am glad that I didn't have to explain it to you…it gets to be tiring. It has been especially tiring here when everyone is so quick to look down their noses at you if they don't think your parents have a couple of million dollars sitting in their bank accounts. People wouldn't believe how lucrative it is to have private security force. My parents paid through the nose to get me into this school…apparently…I am unsavory and so is my family."

Michael said "My parents…paid a lot as well. The principal told me on my first day here that my father and step-father had both donated large sums of money to get me in here. That is the only reason I am still here…other than that…I am sure he would have kicked me out. So why is your family unsavory? I mean your father owns a private security firm that sounds like a good thing."

Rose paused eating her lunch and said "My grandfather is Miguel 'Cesar' Marino an alleged former crime boss. My uncle is Constantino Marino…alleged current crime boss. And I am an unwed teenage mother. I am sure they are ready to burn me at the stake. Not to mention that this school isn't very ethnically diverse…I have a Cuban father and a half African-American half Cuban mother. So why are you so unsavory?"

Michael glanced at her stomach. She didn't look pregnant to him. "I am sure that you have heard rumors about why I am unsavory…most of them are probably true. Constantino Marino is your uncle?" Michael wasn't going to let on but he had heard his father mention that name before in the past. Constantino had been a friend in the past that helped Sonny get away from some very bad men.

Rose saw him glance at her flat stomach and laughed. "My children are almost two years old. I gave birth a couple of months after my 16th birthday. My sons' birthday will be in a two months. And I don't like to listen to rumors…people say a lot about me and my family. I would prefer that they come to the source for the truth. So…I'd rather hear from you."

"Two years old…wow…" said Michael. He could barely wrap his mind around taking care of himself let alone two small children. He said "I am sure you have already heard that I killed…my step-mother after she kidnapped my mother and my baby sister…and then I went to prison for it. But I was a pariah before that anyway…my father is uh…alleged mob boss Sonny Corinthos. So is your family…from Bensonhurst?" said Michael casually wanting to know how his father might have known Constantino.

"Wow …isn't a reaction I normally get. I usually get a look of disdain…or pity. I love my sons and I am happy to have them." said Rose. "I already know who your father is…your father and my uncle knew one another…when they were younger…no…but my uncles and my father spent some time in Bensonhurst when they were teenagers." said Rose.

He chuckled and said "If you knew who my father was…and that our families knew one another…why didn't you say anything?"

"Same reason you didn't say anything at first. I saw the look of recognition on your face when I said who my uncle was. I've met your father once or twice…I think back when I was like 11 or something like that. We visited one of his islands. How is he?" said Rose.

Michael said "I don't…have a lot of contact with him because of my…uh probation right now…but I hear he is doing good. So you uh have two kids…what are their names?" Michael felt strange have a normal conversation but it wasn't normal. They both came from similar worlds he didn't feel like so much of a freak.

"I am sorry to hear that. I couldn't imagine not being able to see my father or my uncle Tino. My sons are fraternal twins named Nicolas and Roman. "said Rose.

Kristina walked over to the table not being able to hold out any longer. She wanted to know who the girl sitting and talking with Michael was. She hadn't seen anyone hold a conversation with Michael for that length of time in a while. "Hi Michael…" said Kristina waiting expectantly for him to introduce her.

Michael said "Hi Krissy…" At times Michael was oblivious to the subtleness of politeness.

Kristina continued to stand there waiting for an introduction. She elbowed him in the shoulder lightly.

Michael said "Oh…I am sorry. Kristina this is Rose Marino…Rose this is my younger sister Kristina. Rose just moved here from Miami."

Rose smiled and said "Hi Kristina. It is nice to meet you."

"Hi! It is nice to meet you. You moved here from Miami? That must be so depressing leaving all of that warm weather and the beaches for…well this." said Kristina looking around for effect.

"I don't mind it at all really. Sometimes you just need a change of pace and this is my change of pace." said Rose.

The bell rang.

Rose smiled and said "I should probably get to class I wouldn't want to be late for AP Biology." Rose stood up collecting her books. "It was nice talking to you Michael. It was nice meeting you Kristina."

"I'll see you around Rose." said Michael. He was surprised to hear those words come out of his mouth. He actually wanted to see her again. He collected his books and threw away his untouched lunch. "Come on Krissy I will walk you to class." said Michael.

"So…what is she like?" asked Kristina nosily.

"She is…like a girl…I don't know. I mean she seems nice enough." said Michael not giving anything else.

"Well, is she a new friend or not?" asked Kristina with wide eyes.

Michael laughed and said "You are starting to sound like Molly. She just needed a place to sit…and so she sat with me. That is all it was no big deal okay?"

Kristina looked at Michael and saw an actual smile on his face. "Okay…" Kristina arrived at her classroom. "Thank you for walking me here Michael but you should hurry if you are going to make it to your class on time."

Michael said "I don't really care if I am tardy or not." He smirked and then walked off heading to class. He knew that he could make it there in a short amount of time. In prison he had learned that walking too slowly left you out in the open and vulnerable for too long. Michael walked into the classroom and had a seat as the bell was ringing. He looked straight ahead for the entire class period not making eye contact with anyone except for the teacher and he didn't do that often.

As the end of the class started to approach the teacher said "Okay everyone needs to pick a partner before the next time class meets. Each group will need to choose a chromosomal abnormality or a birth defect and prepare a presentation on it. You will have two weeks to complete the project and I expect it to be as well thought out as one of my lectures. You can try to find your partners now with what time is left in class." Mr. Barker walked along the rows of desk handing out the assignment.

Michael felt his heart beat faster. There was no way that anyone was going to want to be his partner and he'd have to explain that to the teacher. Michael got ready to get out of his desk. He looked up seeing Rose standing next to his desk.

"Hi…would you like to be partners?" asked Rose. Everyone had already known who they wanted to be partners with and they were chattering about it. Rose being new to the school she was the odd woman out.

"You are in this class too?" asked Michael. He hadn't noticed her but then again his attention had not parted from the front of the room since he sat down.

"Uh yeah…I sit to the left of you and up one." said Rose motioning to her empty desk. "Am I that forgettable that you didn't notice me?" joked Rose. She gave Michael a warm smile seeing that his was obviously shaken up.

"No…I guess...I just didn't pay attention. Um sure…I guess we can be partners... I don't know…how good of a partner I will be though." warned Michael. He didn't consider himself to be that great of a student and with all of the distractions in his life he was doing even worse than normal.

"I think we will make out just fine Michael. I find abnormalities very interesting…so I think we will be in good shape." said Rose.

Michael bristled at the phrase make out even though he knew very well what she meant. He was just on edge and he was being forced into a situation where he had to interact in close quarters with another person. He didn't even like being touched by family members. Michael could only think of the horrible possibilities that could come from this. He was lost in his own fears that he didn't hear the bell ring.

Rose walked over to her desk picking up her books and her purse. "So when would you like to meet to talk about the project? I'd really like to get a head start on it. My life is so busy I really don't have the time to leave stuff to the last minute…or it won't get done. And since my family donated a small fortune to get me in here…I guess I should make good on their investment." said Rose

Michael forced himself to focus in on the words coming out of Rose's mouth instead of feeling like a caged animal. "Uh…we are out of school tomorrow for that teachers' in-service thing. We could meet tonight to figure out what we want to do and then we could meet tomorrow to get started. Why don't we meet somewhere…?"

"Okay…I am new to town do you want to meet at your house or mine?" asked Rose.

"I live in a very small studio apartment with my brother, Dante, but it is usually pretty quiet while he is at work. I guess we could meet there." said Michael.

"That is probably better than my house. All of the distractions I am sure that we wouldn't get any work done. Okay so I will meet you at your loft at what time tonight?" asked Rose.

"How about 6:00?" asked Michael. He wrote down his address and phone number and handed the scrap of paper to Rose.

"Sure six sounds good. I will see you then Michael…bye." said Rose. "Oh here is my phone number." She wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to him. She waved as she was walking out of class.

Michael collected his books and walked out of the room going to his locker. He tossed his books in and then left the school. Michael decided to walk home he needed some time to clear his head. He felt on edge even thinking about spending time alone with a girl. He was weirded out being alone with Lulu and she was his cousin. Jason was out of town, Lucky was out of town, he wasn't supposed to see Sonny, he didn't trust Dante enough. He needed to talk to someone… but he really didn't know where to turn. Michael decided to turn to Jax for help. Michael walked all the way over to MetroCourt and headed up to Jax's office hoping to avoid his mother. Carly generally meant well but sometimes she would just make things worse.

Michael knocked on Jax's office door.

Jax was talking to Carly who was perched on the edge of his office. "Come in." called Jax.

Michael walked into the office and spotted his mother's blonde mane before he saw anything else. He groaned inwardly knowing this wasn't going to be good. Michael turned on his heels and walked out of the office. "Michael?" asked Jax getting up from the desk.

"Michael?" said Carly getting off of the desk and walking out of the office with Jax. "Honey is something wrong?" asked Carly finding Michael leaning against the wall in the hallway.

"No…everything is fine mom…I was just dropping by to ask Jax when we'd all go back out on his boat. But I see the two of you are busy right now. I can just come back later." said Michael.

Carly didn't believe that for a minute. "Michael? Is there something wrong at Madison? Do I need to go up there to talk to the principal."

"No!" said Michael in a harsher tone than he had intended to use with his mother. "No…" said Michael in a calmer voice. "There is nothing wrong at school. In fact it hasn't been that bad. No more guys trying to pick on me." Michael thought back to what Rose had said to him earlier.

"So then what is wrong?" asked Carly touching his arm. "You should know that you can always talk to me about anything Michael…anything at all. I am your mother." said Carly. She was in unchartered territory with Michael. She had always been a fierce protector of all of her children but definitely Michael. And up until the point that he had been shot in the head she had always been able to make things better for him. She felt helpless now to help him. She saw how much pain he was in and how damaged he was and it scared her.

Michael said "I know that I can talk to you mom. I just…don't need to talk to you right now. I just came to ask about the sail boat. I will see you later okay. Bye Jax." Michael walked off shoving his hands into the pockets of his khaki pants angry with himself for even coming there in the first place.

Jax looked at Carly and said "Stay here Carly." Jax jogged off after Michael and caught up with him. "I don't know what you came here to talk to me about…but if you need to talk without your mom around…just call me and I will meet you wherever okay?"

Michael nodded and said "Okay…thanks Jax…but I don't want to get you in trouble with my mom.' Michael really wanted Jax and Carly together. He knew how much Carly loved Jax and Jax was a good father for Morgan and Josslyn. Michael took the elevator down to the man floor and walked out of MetroCourt and went on yet another long walk. It seemed now that he walked all of the time like he was trying to run away but he knew there was nowhere to go. He walked to the park and had a seat on one of the benches. He sat there thinking about when his nanny Mercedes used to bring him to the park. He could almost see it in his head. Things were so much simpler then.

Johnny Zacchara was out for a short walk himself. He was forcing himself to walk so that he could heal from the gunshot wound he had taken to the chest. But mostly he wanted to get out of his lonely penthouse. He saw Michael sitting on the park bench looking dazed. "Michael?" asked Johnny standing next to him.

Michael jumped and put up his fists like he was ready to attack Johnny. He settled down seeing Johnny's face. "I…I'm sorry.' said Michael. Michael found himself apologizing a lot lately for a variety of inappropriate outbursts. He was getting tired of it.

Johnny said "It's no problem…you okay? You looked confused for a minute?"

Michael nodded and said "Uh yeah I am fine. Listen, man…thank you for telling the truth…and making peace with my dad. I might not be able to see him but just knowing that he is in town makes me feel better."

"I didn't have much choice…there was video of what really happened…it was tell the truth and make peace…or keep up the lie and serve time. I chose freedom…and I realized...I am not quite as ready to die as I previously thought. Are you sure that you are okay you look…" said Johnny not knowing what word to use.

"Yeah, just got a lot of stuff in my head and I don't know how to get it out. I am scared that I am going to hurt someone." said Michael out of the blue.

"Why would you think that? Because of what happened to Claudia? She was my sister and I loved her. But that night…she went off the deep end and if you hadn't…did what you did. I don't know what she would have down to your mother or Josslyn…I am glad that you stopped her from…doing something tragic. What you did doesn't make you a murderer." said Johnny.

"I am a murderer Johnny. I know that…and no matter what anyone says that is going to follow me for the rest of my life…but that isn't what I am talking about. I am…jumpy a lot…and my Biology teacher made us all take partners today. And I am just scared that I am going to do something to hurt or freak this girl out. And then everyone will know just how much of a nutcase I really am. And she is new here so she doesn't really understand just how screwed up I am." said Michael. He was being more honest with Johnny than he had been with anyone other than Jason. That was only because he didn't feel like anyone from his family would give Johnny the time of day if he decided to spill his guts.

Johnny had a seat next to Michael on the bench but leaving some space between them to give him a comfort zone. "I can't say I know what jail is like…but I know what is like to be in a dark hole…with no chance of getting out. And being there in that hole for so long makes you start to go crazy with fear and paranoia. And that was just me being locked in a room on my own…you were locked up with vicious animals…one of which being my father. I don't know what you went through but I am telling you what you feel is normal."

"Normal? I don't even know what that word means anymore. My normal is wearing an ankle monitor, having nightmares, having night sweats, jumping when people touch me…I choked Lulu…." said Michael needing to say it outloud.

"Is she okay?" asked Johnny concerned for his ex.

"Yeah…she is fine it was a few weeks ago…I was asleep on the couch…having a nightmare. And Lulu tried to wake me up and…I thought….I don't know what I thought." Michael knew exactly what he thought. In his nightmare Carter had been coming after him again. He had choked Lulu thinking that she was Carter. "I choked her before I was even awake. She was scared…of me…I could see it and she said that it was okay but it isn't. And I am scared that…things like that are going to continue to happen. What if that happens while I am working with this girl on my project?" asked Michael. "I didn't even think anyone would want to be my partner because…I am a felon and a murderer. But…I met this girl at lunch and…she didn't seem to care about any of that. She was nice to me anyway."

"Have you talked to anyone about this? Your mom? Your dad? Your brother? Jason?" asked Johnny seeing that this kid was in serious need of help.

Michael said "I can't talk to any of them. They all want to fix it and tell me how sorry they are but they can't fix it and I don't want to hear sorry. I can usually talk to Jason because he understands but…he is busy right now." Michael wasn't about to tell Johnny that his father's main enforcer was out of the country. He knew how fleeting peace could be.

"You aren't going to feel any better about any of this until you talk this out with someone. A priest, a rabbi, a psychiatrist, a friend, a parent…someone. There has to be someone that you feel safe enough with to share everything…to leave no cupboard unopened." said Johnny.

"A priest?"asked Michael looking at Johnny.

"Sure, anything you tell a priest in confession is private. He took vows to keep those secrets. Even if you aren't looking for penance or absolution…you can go there and unburden yourself…and you'll know that it won't get around to anyone else. Sometimes you just need someone to tell all of the horrible things to. For me…that person was Claudia…I could tell her anything and she'd always know what to say or what to do…" said Johnny.

Michael looked over at Johnny for a minute thinking about what he was saying to him. He could go to church and sit in the confessional and tell the priest every terrible thing that happened to him in prison and no one else would ever have to know. "I'm sorry about Claudia…" said Michael.

"Don't be…the truth is...Claudia was dead a long time ago…she just took her time leaving this Earth. Claudia died a little everyday…" said Johnny.

Michael said "I should get home…my partner, Rose, is coming over at 6:00 to work with me. Thanks for the suggestion…" Michael got up.

"Anytime kid…anytime." said Johnny.

Michael walked to his 'home' which really wasn't much of a home but it was better than Pentonville and he reminded himself of that every day. Michael walked into the loft and saw that Dante and Lulu weren't there although he didn't expect him to be. Dante was working at the station and Kate was back in town so there would be no early evenings for Lulu. Michael looked over at Dante's bed and saw that it was unmade. He walked over and made the bed and picked up around the loft since Rose would be coming over. He changed out of his school uniform into a pair of cargo shorts and a dark blue polo shirt. Michael started working on his Calculus homework while he waited on Rose to arrive.

Michael was really struggling with the math and the time seemed to fly by without him taking any notice. Before he knew it there was a knock on the door. Michael closed his calculus book and walked to the door opening it.

Rose was standing there wearing a denim skirt and a red, sleeveless, ruffled, button up shirt. She had her laptop and purse with her. "Hi, I almost didn't find this building. They all sort of blend in together." said Rose.

Michael said "Oh yeah…sorry I should have mentioned that. Come in." Michael moved out of the way and let Rose into the loft and closed the door behind her.

Rose walked over to the couch and commented. "Working on calculus huh? How is it going?" Rose had a seat on the couch. She set her laptop on the table and turned it on.

"It is…not going anywhere really. I keep staring at it and I think it makes less sense then when I first started looking at it…if that is possible." said Michael.

"Well, I am pretty good at math. If you are having trouble maybe I can help you figure it out?" asked Rose.

"Oh no…I couldn't ask you to do that but thank you." said Michael. It was enough that they were partners for this project he didn't need her tutoring him as well. That made it more likely that she would see him freak out.

"You didn't ask me…I offered. Just let me know if you change your mind. So I did some research while I was at home and I came up with the idea of doing our presentation on Turner's syndrome or maybe Down Syndrome. Did you have any ideas?" said Rose.

Michael had a seat next to her on the couch. "Okay…what is Turner's? I don't think that I have ever heard of it. It is surprising that you said Down Syndrome because I had thought of that too actually. There is a lot of information about it so it shouldn't be hard to find everything that we need."

Rose said "It is a chromosomal abnormality that affects girls. This is one of the articles I found on it." Rose pulled up an article on it and slid her laptop over to Michael.

Michael read over it and said "Yeah…this sounds cool. So what do we want to do for our presentation? Maybe we could do a PowerPoint slideshow? I guess everyone will do one of those though. Can I get you water or anything?"

"I am sure that everyone will do that but it is a good way to get all of information in a lecture format. So I was thinking that we could break the presentation down into a couple of segments. The first half explaining what it is and how many people are affected by it, and what chromosomes it is related to, the second half explaining how it is treated, and the third explaining what if any progress is being made in research of it. Water would be great." said Rose.

Michael nodded and said "That all sounds good to me. I feel like I am not really contributing very much to this group." Michael got up and walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of water. He walked back over to the couch having a seat with Rose.

Rose laughed a little. "I am sorry. When I have an idea in my head I just go for it. But don't worry you will be an active participant. I do not intend to do all of the research and building of the PowerPoint presentation all on my own and that is the majority of the group work. We are just brainstorming right now. Besides you are the one that came up with the Down Syndrome idea. Thank you for the water."

Michael smiled a little and he and Rose went back to brainstorming ideas for the project. The two worked for over two hours outlining their presentation and dividing up the research work between them. Michael zoned out for a bit not really hearing anything Rose was saying.

Rose said "Michael…? Michael?"

Michael came to and said "Huh? What did you say?"

"Are you okay? You don't look so good…." said Rose looking at the expression on Michael's face. It was like he had left the building.

"Oh yeah…I am fine…sometimes I just daydream." lied Michael.

"So when can we get together to work on this again? Do you want to try tomorrow afternoon or Saturday." Rose looked at the time realizing it was almost 8:00. "I need to get home and put my sons to bed."

Michael said "I can't Saturday…I have uh…community service to do." Michael was sort of embarrassed to say that to her. "And then that night I promised my sister that I would go to a family dinner. Tomorrow I have baseball try-outs…my parents really want me to find and extra-curricular. How about we meet Sunday afternoon?"

Rose said "Sunday? Could we meet here?"

Michael said "No, my brother and his girlfriend will both be off of work and this place is too small for 4 people. They'd probably be sitting on the bed watching us the entire time." Michael laughed.

Rose laughed a little. "My family will be home on Sunday and they will make a lot of noise…I come from a large family…what if we meet somewhere public?"

Michael said "We could meet outside of Kelly's diner? I could score us some free snacks. My dad's father runs it and my mother's mother owns half of it." Michael heard the elevator approaching the loft and figured it was Dante or Lulu coming home.

Dante walked into the loft and said "Michael are you...?" He trailed off seeing that Michael was there with a girl. This was the first time that Michael had brought anyone 'home' since he had been staying with Dante. Dante had an armful for groceries.

"Uh Dante this is Rose. Rose this is my brother Dante. I live here with him." said Michael. He walked over and grabbed one of the paper bags from Dante and set it on the counter.

Dante said "Good evening Rose. It's nice to meet you…do you go to school with Michael?"

Rose smiled a little. "Hello...yes, I do. We have Calculus and AP Biology together. We start the day in the same class and end the day in the same class. It's nice to meet you too." She noticed the badge hanging from the chain on Dante's neck. She glanced at Michael but didn't say anything.

Michael felt awkward and said "So I will see you Sunday at noon in front of Kelly's?"

"Well, I don't know about noon. I usually go to church with my family on Sunday. It is a really big deal for us. But how about 1:00?" asked Rose. "We are normally done with church and lunch at that time. I can meet you at Kelly's then." Rose collected her purse and her laptop.

Michael said "Sure that is great. That means I can sleep in some." He smiled a little to let her know he was joking. He walked to the door opening it for her.

Rose smiled and said "Okay then...I will see you Sunday. Good luck with baseball tryouts tomorrow. I hope you make the team."

Michael said "I'll walk you down to your car. It is pretty late for you to have to walk out there alone." Michael looked over at Dante. "I'll be back." said Michael. Michael walked out of the loft with Rose. He walked with her down to her car.

Rose said "Thank you for walking me down here Michael. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." said Michael.

Rose climbed into her car and was about to shut the door.

Michael put his hand on the door. "Rose…you said your family goes to church? What church?"

"We just moved here but we go to Our Lady of Sorrow. Why do you ask?" said Rose.

"Oh…no reason just…something someone said to me today. Have a goodnight Rose." said Michael.

"Goodnight…" said Rose.

Michael closed her car door for her and watched her start up the car and drive off.

Michael walked back up to the apartment where Dante was working on dinner. Michael said "Hey…sorry about that."

"There is no need for you to apologize Michael this is your home too. I thought it was pretty funny that I was the one walking in on you tonight. I am making chicken cacciatore for dinner. So what class were the two of you working on?" asked Dante.

"We were working on Biology. I was worried that…I would have to do the project on my own. I didn't think anyone would want to be my partner and Rose was just standing next to my desk when I was about to get up to talk to the teacher about it. She asked me if I wanted to work with her." said Michael

"Well, that is good Michael. I am glad that she asked you. But you have to stop thinking the worst of everyone. There are a lot of good people…a lot of understanding people." said Dante.

"There really aren't Dante…there are the people who look at me like a monster or a thug and there are the people who look at me like a sideshow freak. Rose asked to be my partner because…well she is new to Madison and she doesn't want to be there either. We sort of talked at lunch. I didn't realize we had Biology together. I guess I hadn't noticed her in the class." said Michael.

"You aren't a monster…you are a kid that got caught up in a bad situation…and all o the adults in your life made bad choices for you...including me. You didn't deserve to go to prison…you didn't deserve anything that happened to you. But now it isn't about that…it is about what are you going to do now. You have a great opportunity to change your life around and be anything you want." said Dante.

Michael said "It is a lot easier said than done. When I close my eyes…I am right back in Pentonville…fighting for my life…how does that just get better or go away? It doesn't. I am going go to go for a walk Dante…" Michael grabbed his jacket and walked out of the apartment. He started on one of his walks which was becoming almost a nightly occurrence. Sometimes it was so that he could think…other times it was to give Dante and Lulu privacy. Michael walked over to the Quartermaine's and snuck onto the property. He headed to the boathouse and laid down on the cot there trying to get some rest. Since Michael had been released from Pentonville whenever he needed time alone he either walked around Port Charles or he went to the Quartermaine boathouse for some peace and quiet. Maya and Ethan knew that he was making frequent trips there so they had set the boathouse up with some comforts. There was a cot that had a pillow and blanket on it. There was a radio and a portable DVD player. There was even a plastic tote with some snacks in it. Michael had been there for an hour when he heard a knock on the door.

Maya walked into the boathouse and said "Hi…"

Michael said "Hi…how did you know that I was here?"

"I spotted you on the security camera. I brought some dinner for you. I figured you might be hungry." said Maya. "You've been coming here a lot lately…is everything okay?"

Michael sat up and said "Maya you didn't have to bring me anything to eat. I am supposed to be at home right now having dinner with Dante but I just need a break from his place. I am grateful that he got me out of prison…but sometimes I hate…living there."

Maya had a seat next to him. "Well, would you like to stay here? I am sure if Edward, Monica, and Tracy crowed enough that they could convince a judge to let you stay here…but that is a whole other bag of trouble. Trust me…I know. Tracy despises me…Edward is meddlesome…Monica is nice. She's your grandmother right?"

Michael moved uncomfortably. "Yeah, she is…she still cares about me a lot even though I am not a Quartermaine anymore. I wouldn't want to live here…no offense."

"Edward does too…when you were sentenced to prison he tried calling in every favor he could…Tracy too…I had just moved here but…I saw the panic in their eyes…they were scared for you. A lot of the people in this town love you. I may not have known you long but I love you too. You are family. None taken…I didn't want to live here either, but I have gotten used to it."

Michael shifted uncomfortably hearing her talk about how many people loved him.

Maya noticed it but didn't say anything. "You are still a growing kid…you need something to eat. Alice made beef wellington for dinner. There is way too much of it for us to finish off. You should eat." Maya handed him the basket.

Michael said "Thanks…" He started eating. "How is Ethan doing? Has he talked to Lucky?" asked Michael looking at Maya.

"Uh…why would I know how Ethan is doing?" asked Maya incredulously. She was dating Ethan but the two of them were attempting to keep a low profile not that anything was every low profile with Ethan.

"Oh I just thought that…nevermind what I thought." said Michael laughing a little.

"Is it that obvious?" asked Maya making a face. "Oh but…no from what I know…he hasn't spoken to Lucky since he left the country to look for Luke. Why do you ask?"

Michael smiled a little. "Sort of…but what do I know?" "I wanted to talk to Lucky about…some stuff but…Lulu told me that he was out of the country. If you talk to Ethan…and he hears from Lucky…maybe he could ask Lucky to call me?" asked Michael.

"Sure…I think Ethan has a way of getting in contact with Lucky so…I can ask him just to call him and tell him if you want….is it anything I can help you with?" asked Maya feeling bad that she couldn't help him.

"I don't think so….it sort of requires…a man's advice." said Michael. He trusted Lucky and he knew that Lucky wouldn't say anything to anyone.

"Ah a man's advice…" said Maya. "Well, you could always talk to Ethan but he is really just a boy in a man's body." She laughed a little.

Michael seemed to zone out for a minute but then come back into focus.

"Michael? Are you okay?" asked Maya.

"I am fine…" said Michael shaking his head.

"What just happened there?' asked Maya seriously.

"Nothing…I was just thinking." said Michael.

"No…I don't think you were…your pupils dilated for a moment. Do you have seizures?" asked Maya.

"No…" said Michael looking at her oddly.

"Michael…I am pretty sure that you just had a seizure while we were sitting here…I think you should be seen at the hospital…" said Maya.

Michael shook his head. "If my family thinks that there is something wrong with my head again they will freak out. I can't put them through that again. I can't go through that again."

Maya thought about their options. "What if we didn't have to tell your parents right away? You are 18 years old…technically I don't have to tell them anything about your medical treatment…your dad wouldn't know until he saw the bill from the hospital…but you need to get checked out Michael…these seizures could indicate an underlying problem."

Michael didn't know what to do. He didn't need more stress or drama but Maya seemed genuinely worried that he could be in some sort of danger. "I have baseball tryouts in the morning…could I come by the hospital after that?"

"Sure, I'll talk to Dr. Drake in the morning and let him know that you will be coming in…and that you don't want anyone else knowing." said Maya.

"Why are you doing all of this for me?" asked Michael seriously.

"You are my little cousin whether I know you well or not and family means something to me…it means a lot to me." said Maya.

"And you are sure that no one will contact my parents?" asked Michael looking at Maya. "I've put them through so much...I just don't want them to have to start worrying about me all over again. I got into a fight Monday...for a minute I thought they were going to kick me out of school. All I could think of was...I am disappointing them again."

"You have my word...no one can tell your parents anything about your treatment unless you give your permission. You are an adult so you have a right to privacy regarding your health. Please don't turn down help just because you don't want your parents to know. I will go to bat for you to ensure your privacy. You got into a fight? Did you hit your head on anything? That could be what caused the seizure I just saw." said Maya.

Michael finally relented. "Okay...I will go through with it then." Michael shook his head figuring that he should just come clean. "I have been...having the seizures for awhile...I didn't know they were seizures though. Sometimes my vision goes blurry and I sort of zone out...my head hurts when it happens...I thought it was like a migraine or something..."

Maya said "It could be a migraine...but even a severe headache could be an indication of something more serious. Good, I will give you some alone time. I know you wanted to come here to get away. Just leave the basket here when you are done if you don't want to come into the house." Maya got up.

"Thank you Maya." said Michael.

"You are welcome." said Maya walking out of the boathouse.

Michael finished eating dinner and then stretched out on the cot taking some time for himself before he had to head back to Dante's loft. Michael got up after another hour realizing he had to get home pretty quickly. He left the boathouse closing it up and then walked off of the property.

Ethan was sitting in a car and honked at Michael. "Get in mate. I'll drive you home." said Ethan.

Michael climbed into the car with Ethan. "Maya told you what was wrong?" asked Michael.

"No, but she was pretty freaked out after she left you at the boathouse…and she told me that you wanted me to get in contact with Lucky…so I did." said Ethan. "Lucky said you can call him anytime and leave a voicemail and he will call you back." Ethan handed him a piece of paper. "Here is the number."

Michael smiled and said "Thanks Ethan."

Ethan said "No problem…what is family for." Ethan drove him to Dante's building and parked outside.

"You won't tell Lulu about me being at the boathouse right? I'd sort of like to keep that between us…and Maya." said Michael knowing that Lulu would tell Dante immediately.

Ethan said "Your secret is safe with me. Not a word to anyone that doesn't already know."

Michael smiled and said "Thanks Ethan." Michael got out the car and headed inside and up to Dante's loft. He knocked on the door before opening it.

Dante was sitting on the couch with Lulu watching a movie. Dante got up and said "hey Michael…uh Lucky called for you…while you were gone. Is everything okay?"

Michael held back a sigh and nodded and said "Yeah…I just wanted to talk to him about some stuff…"

"Is it anything that I can help with? I mean I am right here. Is it about school or something?" said Dante.

Lulu got up and made up Michael's couch for him so that it was ready for him to turn in for the night. She turned off the movie that she and Dante had been watching.

"Oh no…it is nothing like that I just…I need to talk to Lucky." said Michael not knowing how else to say it.

Dante nodded and said "Okay…"

Michael said "I am going to get a shower and get ready for bed. I've got tryouts in the morning." Michael grabbed some pajamas and headed to the bathroom to get a shower. He changed for bed and then walked back out into the living room.

"Are you hungry?" asked Lulu. "There is plenty of dinner left over…" said Lulu.

"No thank you Lulu I already ate." said Michael. He climbed onto the couch and laid back closing his eyes tiredly.

Dante and Lulu went to the other side of the loft and both climbed into Dante's bed. It was always awkward when Michael went to bed for the night because generally they were still up and ready to talk but they were trying to figure out a way to make this work for Michael.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Loser! Can you swing a bat as well as you can sing an axe handle?" asked Russell Dawson. Russell was a senior baseball player that had always hated Michael and he had been lobbing insult after insult at Michael from the moment he arrived at today's try-outs. It had been three straight hours of insults whenever the coach was out of earshot.

Michael ignored him as best as he could knowing that any response was an excuse for Russell to rib him more and for the other guys to join in. Michael was determined to let his skills speak for themselves. And that was exactly what he had been doing. Michael was hitting every ball that was thrown at him and he was putting a lot of the other guys to shame. Not to mention he had been doing a hell of a job at short stop. Michael had been so in the zone that he hadn't been paying attention to who was sitting in the stands.

"I guess he had a lot of time to work out while he was in prison. Maybe we should rename our team the jailbirds." said Russell after Michael knocked a ball out of the park. Russell was furious. He had tried all day to rattle Michael and nothing had worked. He had played baseball long enough to know that the coach was going to have to give Michael a spot on the team.

Michael took all of the abuse during the three hour try-out but at the end he felt like he had proven himself. He packed up his gear and headed for the bleachers.

Jax had been sitting in the bleachers watching the entire thing. He saw how good Michael was and if he didn't get a place on the team Jax was going to make a lot of people's lives very difficult. Jax had to lie to Carly about where he was going so that she didn't follow him to the try-outs. He knew that Michael would be embarrassed by Carly's enthusiasm.

Michael walked off the field feeling angry. He wanted to bash Russell's face in but he knew that would just get him kicked out of Madison and probably land him right back where he didn't want to be…Pentonville. He did his best to swallow his hatred. He walked out of the chain link fence not paying attention to anyone or anything.

"You looked good out there Corinthos…" said Rose standing by the fence. Rose had come to check out the try-outs to cheer Michael on and because she didn't have anything else to do. She smiled at him.

Michael stopped and smiled at her. "You think so?" "It was hard to concentrate on hitting the balls…but I just focused my rage on the balls…" said Michael. "What are you doing here?"

"I know so…looks like we've got our own Derek Jeter right here in Port Charles. You did a good job not fighting that jerk. I personally wanted to beat him senseless with a bat." said Rose with a smirk. "Well, I came to check out the talent…but I also came to cheer you on. I figured you might need a little support out here."

He laughed a little and said "It is nice to know that one person was cheering for me…thanks for coming out to support me Rose." He wondered why she would do that. They were just Biology partners. Michael was missing the obvious

"Well, outcasts have to stick together in the face of persecution. I'll be trying out for one of the two vacant volleyball spots. The coach is holding an exhibition game to see us in action…I don't think I will get the place on the team but I might as well try right?" asked Rose with a smile.

"Yeah, you are right we do need to stick together. Volleyball? Is that a real sport?" asked Michael jokingly.

Rose laughed and said "Uh yes it is a real sport. It is a difficult one that happens to be in the Olympics. And no one is doing steroids to play the game unlike baseball."

"Ouch! You are attacking America's pastime and my favorite sport. When is the exhibition game? I might just have to come watch you play." said Michael with a smile.

"You are strong I think you can take it. The game is Monday night." said Rose laughing softly. She smiled at Michael. "So…I was wondering if you wanted to hang out or something…maybe show me around town…all of the great spots?"

"Well, I have an appointment thing to go to but we could hang out at Kelly's before that…and then maybe later I can show you around town…I don't have a car…fair warning." said Michael. There was something about Rose that put him at ease. He felt like he could be himself and she wouldn't think he was a freak. But he was still worried about freaking out some way.

"Sure I'd like that a lot Michael. I seriously don't have anything to do right now. That is no problem I have the car so you can leave the driving to me. You can show me all of the cool things in town. So far I've been to Madison Prep, to the mall, and my dad showed me where the country club was…I go to school with snobby people I don't want to have to socialize with them after hours." said Rose.

"Cool then we can check out the town later. I can show you were some of the lesser known hang out spots are. Where are your sons….Roman and Nicolas?" asked Michael taking a minute to remember their names.

"They are at home with the nanny. I spent the morning hanging out with them before I came here to watch the try-outs." said Rose.

Russell walked through the gate and slammed into Michael making Michael slam into Rose pressing her up against the fence hard enough to make her groan in pain.

Michael moved back. "Oh God…are you okay? I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong that jerk did." said Rose with venom.

Michael walked over to Russell grabbing him.

"Michael no!" said Rose rushing over. She grabbed his hand before he could punch Russell. "He isn't worth it. He wants you to punch him so that the coach has a reason to not put you on the team." said Rose.

Michael flinched when she grabbed his hand but there was something soothing about her touch at the same time. Michael let go of Russell's hand. "Walk away." said Michael to Russell in a deadly tone.

Russell laughed and said "Does your girlfriend know that you probably had a boyfriend in prison?"

Rose moved between the two of them. "Let's just go Michael please…" said Rose. She took his hand pulling him in the other direction.

Michael followed her but he was definitely shaken up. He sat on the ground behind the baseball stadium with his head in his hands.

Rose had a seat next to him. "Michael…are you okay?" asked Rose in a concerned voice.

"I should be asking you if you are okay…I slammed you against that fence pretty good." said Michael upset about the whole thing. He looked at her making sure she wasn't hurt.

"I am fine. It takes more than a shove into a fence to take me out." said Rose touching Michael's hand.

Michael looked at her hand touching his and realized that he hadn't flinched. He nodded slightly and said "I will understand if you don't want to be my partner anymore Rose. I am sure the teacher would understand."

Rose smiled at him. "How very gallant of you. But you aren't getting rid of me that easy. I know how to take care of myself. I am not concerned about guys like him."

Michael smiled at her and stood up offering her his hand. "Well, we can go to Kelly's now. My grandfather makes the best pie ever. I am starving after all of the exercise I got during tryouts."

Rose took his hand and stood up. "Thank you. Pie? What kind of pie? I don't really like pie?"

"How can you not like pie?" asked Michael following her out to her car.

"I don't know…the crust tastes weird and I don't like the soggy fruit inside. Oh but I do like pecan pie or sweet potato pie…" said Rose laughing. "I am more of a cake, cookie, and brownie type of girl. I love chocolate." Rose walked over to her car and unlocked it. She climbed into the Lexus SUV.

Michael climbed into the passenger side of the car and put on his seatbelt. "I don't think I've ever met someone that didn't like pie. But you are in luck he makes awesome cookies too. Double chocolate with pecans…"

Rose laughed and said "Okay I think that is the best thing I've heard ever…I have to have some of these cookies." She chuckled and started up the car. "So how do we get to Kelly's?"

Michael rattled off directions to the diner. "So you play volleyball? Are you any good?" asked Michael.

"Yeah, I was great before I got pregnant. After that the coaches wouldn't let me play and then even after I gave birth they didn't want me to play because I was a bad example. Like I was the only one having sex at the school. After awhile my parents just moved me to another school to start fresh at. I played volleyball there too. I am hoping that I make the team here. I love volleyball." said Rose.

"Well, my parents are pushing me to have some extra-curricular activities. They think it will look good on my college applications. I wonder how much money they are going to have to pour into a college to let me in. I don't even want to go to college…but that is what they want." said Michael.

"Well, they are right extra-curricular activities do look good on your application. What other activities are you going to try to join?" asked Rose. "Don't be so negative…you never know. You could find a college away from here that would accept you with no problems. It might not be ivy league but it could still be a good school. You don't want to go to college? What would you like to do instead?" asked Rose pulling up into the parking lot. She parked and turned off her car. She looked at Michael.

Michael shrugged and said "I don't know…maybe debate and Spanish club. I am also thinking about trying out for lacrosse if I don't make it onto the baseball team. You don't understand my parents have this stupid idea that…I can still be a CEO or a lawyer or a judge. They want to pretend like me being a felon doesn't change everything." Michael went quiet when she asked him what he would want to do instead. He knew they both came from the same world but he wasn't about to tell her.

Rose said "You could still be a CEO the corporate world is full of crooks. You'd probably be the most honorable man among them. I mean a corporate raider goes in and completely rips apart a company and fires entire staffs of people. And they make a lot of money doing it. A lot of times the people never see it coming. Villainy is acceptable in our country as long as it follows certain rules."

Michael nodded and said "I guess it isn't just that I can't be those things. I don't want to be those things. I've known my whole life what I wanted to be…" Michael left off there. He climbed out of her car and waited for Rose to join him before leading the way to Kelly's diner. Michael spotted Michael and looked to Rose. "Any idea what you want?" asked Michael.

"Those cookies you mentioned and a coffee would be great." said Rose.

Michael said "Okay I'll order for us. Why don't you sit outside and I will bring everything out?"

Rose smiled and said "Okay sure." Rose walked back out of the diner and picked out a nice table and had a seat.

Michael walked over to the counter and said "Hi."

Mike smiled at his grandson. "How are you doing today?" Mike had a curious relationship with his Sonny and his grandchildren. But his relationship with his grandchildren was decidedly better.

"I am good…I just finished with baseball tryouts. Uh I need two coffees and a couple of those great cookies that you make. Like six of them." said Michael.

Mike smiled and said "Coming up. Well, I hope you make the team. I would love to come watch some of your games. I love baseball." Mike started on the coffees and then collected the cookies that Michael asked for and tossed in a couple extras.

"I'd like that a lot. Thanks." said Michael taking the cookies and coffee. He reached to hand Mike money.

Mike waved his hand. "On the house for you and your friend." said Michal nodding toward the windows. Outside of the window there was a clear view of Rose sitting alone at a table.

"Thanks." said Michael. He walked outside and set the coffee and cookies on the table.

"Everything is so peaceful out here." commented Rose looking up When Michel had a seat at the table. "I am used to crowds of people making noise. In Miami…there is always like a low hum…people talking and cars going by. This is nice…" said Rose. "Oh thanks for the coffee." said Rose when Michael handed her the cup. She took a sip and said "Oh that is great." She spotted the white bakers' bags. "Oooh cookies."

Michael laughed and said "Yeah Port Charles is pretty quiet. Not a lot going on. I guess that is a good thing. When there is a lot going on it is generally bad." Michael chuckled when he saw her eyes widen looking at the bag containing the cookies. He slid the bag over to her after taking a cookie for himself. "So you don't miss the craziness of Miami?"

"I don't know…I haven't had the time to miss Miami yet. I am still getting used to Port Charles. I hate Madison Prep...but that doesn't have anything to do with Miami or Port Charles. It has to do with the snobby people that go there. They hate me already and don't even have a reason to. Not that I mind…but it all just seems to petty and childish. And this is all before they found that I have children." said Rose.

Michael said "Well, do they have to find out? I mean it isn't as if you are going to be broadcasting it all over the school right?"

"I don't talk to anyone to tell anyway. But it is bound to get out. If I take the boys to the park and someone asks me if they are my little brothers and I say…no they are my sons. I am not ashamed of my sons or myself. I admit that I would have liked to have waited until I was older to become a mother but I wouldn't trade my kids for the world. I always get questions from people about why I didn't give them up for adoption. But I couldn't imagine giving away my own flesh in blood…not in a million years." said Rose.

"I can't believe people would actually say things like that to you….?" said Michaels hocked at just how bold people could be.

"Everyone has an opinion. I learned from a young age not to care. Trust me…I have heard people say a lot worse and ask even crazier questions…I just don't let it bother me. I know I made the right choice. My parents didn't mind…I come from a pretty big family anyway." said Rose.

"How many siblings do you have?" asked Michael.

"I am one of five children. I have three older brothers and one younger brother. How about you? How many siblings do you have?" asked Rose eating another cookie. "These cookies are delicious by the way. I will be coming here often."

Michael said "I have an older brother Dante…you met him last night. I have a sister Kristina…you met her yesterday. I have a younger brother Morgan he is in middle school. And I have a baby sister Josslyn. And I have a cousin Molly. She is my sister Kristina's sister but Molly's dad is my uncle Ric…she hangs around me so much she is like another sister to me. So did your brothers all move here?"

"No, my two oldest brothers Cristian and Romeo stayed behind in Florida. They both have families and careers there. My brother Mateo, his wife Raina, and their three kids moved here with us along with my youngest brother Xavier. Mateo and his family live in the house with us. It is annoying and fun at the same time. My brother Xavier is in middle school too. He goes to Queen of Angels" said Rose.

Michael said "My brother Morgan and my cousin Molly both go to Queen of Angels too. I used go there when I was in middle school but I hated it. The kids were jerks back then. For as many perks as there were to being Sonny Corinthos' son…there were a lot of problems too."

"I am sure it has to be hard. This is a small place which means wherever you go people know your name and your face. That was the one thing I liked about Miami. It was a big city…there was some anonymity. That is until about 5 years ago when they brought my uncle Tino up on RICO charges…then my entire life was under a microscope even though my father walks a relatively straight line…" said Rose. "Doesn't matter what he does…he is always going to be Miguel 'Cesar' Marino's son…and because of that…he's trash. Doesn't matter that my grandfather made him go to college and get a business degree and then a MBA from Wharton. People still look at my dad like he is a thug and they always will. Sometimes it is hard to escape who you are even if you want to." said Rose.

Michael looked at her and knew that she was saying everything that he felt. He would never be able to get out from under the Corinthos name. "I feel the same way sometimes…I mean my parents have all of these dreams for me…but at the end of the day I will never be able to get from under the Corinthos name…and now that I've killed someone and gone to prison…I'm suitable for one thing." Michael stopped short of saying what he was suitable for.

Rose said "Parents…they always want what is best for you. But in the end I think it is about them calming their own guilt. My grandfather is that way…he wants something different for his grandchildren. I figure…you just live your life and whatever happens…happens. But I know that I have to do what makes me happy. I can't live my life for other people."

"That is definitely my parents and my uncle. They feel guilty for all of the stuff that has happened to me. You keep treating me like I am a helpless child. Even after I'd gone to prison. I don't know what it will take for them to look at me like an adult." said Michael.

Rose shrugged and said "Who knows…my parents realized that I had grown up when they saw me taking care of my sons after they were born. They were both convinced that they would be doing the work or the nanny. But now it was me…" She laughed and said "But I don't recommend you go and get pregnant."

Michael just laughed. "I don't think that is humanly possible."

"I don't know there was that old movie from the 80's with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. They get Schwarzenegger pregnant with a baby in the movie." said Rose laughing.

Michael quirked an eyebrow at her and laughed. "I don't think I have ever seen that one before. I saw the one where they are twins though."

Rose chuckled. "I own both of those movies. I think they are just great. I should lend Junior to you some time so you can see it. But I think the point I was trying to make before we talked about getting you pregnant is…at some point…they will realize you have grown up when you take charge of your life in some way. It'll happen without you even realizing it happened."

"I hope so…because this is getting old." said Michael. He glanced at his watch. "I've got to run…I have that appointment I told you about. I am going to be late." said Michael standing up.

Rose said "I am so sorry. Do you want me to give you a ride to where you are going? It'll be quicker than you trying to walk." Rose threw away their trash.

Michael wanted to say no. He didn't want anyone to know about him going to the hospital but he figured Rose wouldn't say anything. Michael said "Sure that would be great Rose. I need to go over to General Hospital."

Rose said "Really? I was going to head over there too. My mom is the new orthopedic surgeon there. Come on. I will give you a ride."

Michael said "Oh thanks." He walked with her to her car.

"Thanks for hanging out with me today Michael. I had fun." said Rose. She climbed into the car and waited for Michael to get in as well. Once he was in she drove toward the hospital.

"Oh no need to thank me it was fun. I haven't hung out with anyone other than my sister Krissy lately so it was a nice change." said Michael.

Rose smiled over at Michael and drove them to the hospital. She pulled up and parked. "Did I get you here on time?" asked Rose.

Michael smiled and said "I am a little late but that is my fault. Thanks for the ride Rose. I'll see you later to show you around town."

"Okay…bye Michael." said Rose.

Michael and Rose both got out of the car and went into the hospital but headed in different directions.

Michael went up to find Maya. He walked over seeing her at the desk. "Hey...Maya…sorry for being late." said Michael.

Maya smiled at him. "That is okay. I am just glad that you actually came. I was worried that you changed your mind. Here I am going to put you in a room and let you fill out this paperwork so we don't risk some visitor seeing you and calling your parents." Maya handed him a clipboard.

Michael smiled and said "Thanks."

Maya led him to a room. "I will let Dr. Drake know that you are here to see him. Just have a seat and relax." Maya closed the door and left the room.

Michael sat down and frowned reading over the questions. He sighed and started filling out the paperwork. The door opened and he said "Wow that was quick." He looked up and froze a little. Maxie and Dr. Hunter Drake were kissing one another and were apparently about to use this room for their quickie.

Maxie smoothed down her plum colored dress. "Michael…what are you doing here are you okay?" asked Maxie.

Michael nodded and said "Uh yeah…I just came here to see Maya…I was waiting in here for her because it was pretty busy out there."

Maxie said "Oh…okay…how is Lulu? I swear I haven't seen her at all today."

"Lulu is good…I saw her this morning before I left the loft. She was supposed to be going to work." said Michael.

Maxie nodded and said "Oh okay…well I will see you around." Maxie took Hunter's hand and pulled him out of the room thoroughly embarrassed.

A few minutes later Patrick walked into the room. "Hi Michael. Maya said that you had a seizure yesterday afternoon…can you tell about it?" asked Patrick waling over and sitting on a stool.

"Nothing to tell really. I was just sitting there and…she asked me if I had a seizure…sometimes I just zone out. My head starts to hurt and my vision goes blurry….and then it is over just as quickly as it started." said Michael.

"Okay those are the symptoms of a partial focus seizures…how often have you experienced those symptoms?"asked Patrick concerned as he jotted down the information.

"Maybe once or twice a week…has been that way since I went to Pentonville…" said Michael clearing his throat. He hated even mentioning Pentonville.

"Okay…I want to run some tests on you to see if we can figure out what is going on. Maya told me that you didn't want to tell your parents…but I really don't think that this is something you should go through alone…" said Patrick.

"The only way I am doing this…is if I do it alone. I can't have them staring at me…with those pitiful looks. I know they love me and they mean well…but I just can't handle that right now." insisted Michael firmly.

Patrick nodded and said "Okay…what I will do is call your probation officer and let him know that we need him to come and deactivate your ankle monitor because we are going to give you a MRI. But I won't tell your family or anything."

Michael nodded and said "Okay."

"I'll send a nurse in to give you a hospital gown and then we will get started." said Patrick. Patrick left the room and sent a nurse in.

The nurse smiled and handed Michael a hospital gown. "Are you done with the forms?"

"Oh yeah…here they are." said Michael handing off the clipboard.

The nurse left the room closing the door behind her.

Michael stood up and looked at gown shaking his head. He did not want to be that exposed he groaned and finally changed into the hospital gown and sat on the bed waiting for Patrick to return.

Patrick walked into the room and gave Michael a supportive smile. "Okay your probation officer will be here in about 30 minutes to take off your ankle monitor. In the mean time we are going to start on some other tests that won't affect your monitor."

Michael nodded and said "Okay…"

The nurses came into the room and took Michael for his first batch of tests. By the time they brought him back to his room the probation officer was there waiting for Michael.

"Alright, I am going to take off your monitor. But if you leave the hospital without me putting it back on. You will be arrested." said the probation officer.

"I understand sir. And I have no intention of leaving. Thank you for coming here." said Michael.

"I just wanted to be sure that we understood each other. I will wait here until the MRI is done." said the probation officer. He took off the ankle monitor and then went to the waiting room.

Michael was then taken for his MRI.

Maya was at the desk when Dante walked in.

"Hey…I got a call from my brother's probation officer…he said that Michael was here for some tests…and needed his ankle monitor removed for an MRI." said Dante concerned

Maya said "I am not at liberty to discuss what tests Michael is undergoing. He's asked that no one is given any information about his medical status at the moment."

"He's staying with me so I need to know everything that is going on with him." said Dante.

"He is 18 years old and in the state of New York that means he has a right to privacy concerning his medical issues. I can not divulge any information without his consent. HIPAA laws are very strict about this sort of thing." said Maya.

"He was released into my custody when he left prison." said Dante.

"If you are saying that this is a legal issue…I will get Dr. Webber." said Maya. He walked over to Epiphany. "Could you have Dr. Webber paged…we have an issue."

Epiphany nodded and had Steve paged.

Steve arrived not long afterward. He walked over to the desk and asked. "What's wrong?"

Maya said "Detective Falconeri wants information on what sort of tests Michael Corinthos is undergoing…but Michael was adamant that no one…should be told about what is going on…Detective Falconeri then advised me that Michael was released into his custody and should be apprised of all situations concerning Michael."

Steve pulled Maya to the side and asked "What is going?"

Maya made sure no one could hear her and then said "I saw Michael yesterday and we were having a conversation and then he just stopped talking. His pupils dilated and he didn't respond for a few minutes. When he came out of it he described what happened to him before then…and I believed it to be a partial focus seizure. I advised Michael to seek medical help…he was reluctant to do so because he didn't want his family involved. I assured him that the law granted him privacy…"

Steve nodded and sighed inwardly. He knew this would be an uphill battle. "You made the right call." Steve patted her on the shoulder and then walked over to Dante. "I know you are concerned about your brother's health and welfare. But if Michael does not want his information to be disclosed then we can't disclose it. And if you believe this to be important in some aspect relating to his release then you'll need a court order for us to release any information. Michael is a good kid…I am sure he will come around at some point and tell you what is going on. But for now my concern is that Michael gets the best care available to him."

Dante sighed and walked away angry and worried. He had a seat.

About 30 minutes later a nurse walked over to the probation officer. "Sir…Mr. Corinthos is done with his MRI. You can put his anklet monitor back on."

The probation officer got up and went into Michael's room reattaching the monitor and then left the hospital.

Dante waited until the probation officer left the hospital and then he called Carly first and then Sonny. He waited for the two of them to arrive. Dante feared the worse about Michael's condition.

Carly and Jax arrived at the hospital first. Carly walked over to Dante her heels clicking against the floor. "Where is Michael? What is going on?" Carly was beyond worried. She was even more upset because Michael had stopped by to see Jax the previous day and had left without really telling them what was wrong. Carly was assuming that it had been about his health.

"I don't know. They won't tell me anything because Michael won't let them. He was fine this morning when he left for baseball tryouts." said Dante exasperated.

Carly stormed over to the desk. "I am Michael Corinthos' mother and I want to know what the hell is going on with my son right now."

Maya said "Mrs. Jacks, Michael is doing fine…but right now he is not ready to share the details of his medical situation with anyone…I can let him know that you are here."

"I am his mother! You can tell me anything about my son!" said Carly.

"I understand that this is upsetting. But Michael has a right to privacy and I can't…and won't breach that." said Maya.

Carly glared at her.

Jax walked over pulling her away before she could do any damage. Jax said "Carly try to be calm please."

Sonny walked off the elevator and went straight over to them. "What's going on with Michael?"

Steve Webber came over to try to calm them down but soon it turned into a yelling match with Carly yelling the loudest.

Michael could hear the yelling all the way in his room. He walked to the door and poked his head out of the door looking down the hallway seeing his mother shouting at Maya, Steve Webber, and Patrick Drake. Michael walked over to the bed putting his street clothes and shoes back on and slipped out of the hospital without anyone seeing him.

Steve Webber whistled to silence everyone after the fight had raged on for nearly ten minutes. "I understand that everyone is very upset. But this is a hospital and everyone needs to calm down. Now, Dr. Drake is going to discuss the test results with Michael at that point all of you can visit with Michael if he is accepting visitors. It will be up to him to tell you what is going on. "

Patrick said "Thank Dr. Webber. Maya…come with me." Patrick and Maya walked down the hall to Michael's room. Patrick knocked and then walked into the room. He looked around not seeing Michael. Then he noticed the hospital gown on the bed. "He's gone…" said Patrick.

Maya said "I promised him…and I let him down…and now he is gone."

Patrick walked back out into the waiting room. "Michael is gone…he got dressed and must have taken off when everyone was arguing…"

A hush fell over everyone.


	3. Chapter 3

Michael walked around for awhile not sure where he should go. If he went back to the loft he was sure that Dante would look there for him eventually. If he went to the boathouse on the Quartermaine's property Maya would be sure to look for him there. Michael walked to the park and had a seat on a bench. He sat there for a minute thinking about what he wanted to do. He took out his phone and called Rose.

"Hi Michael." said Rose having looked at the caller ID before she answered the phone.

"Hi…did you still want to hang out?" asked Michael. He didn't feel like himself but he would have felt bad about not showing Rose around town like he promised.

Rose said "Sure, I'd love to. When is good for you? I can't wait to see the sights of the town. I'd like to get to know my new home a little better."

"Well, how about now? I'm at the park…you could pick me up here and we could start the tour." said Michael. He smiled a little hearing how excited she seemed. "I have to warn you...this town is boring…incredibly boring."

"Sure, I can be there in like 10 minutes. I just need to get Nicolas and Roman settled and then I will meet you at the park. Boring or not Port Charles is my new home so I need to figure things out. I'll see you soon Michael." said Rose.

"Okay, well I will see you then." said Michael hanging up.

Rose arrived about ten minutes later. She parked and got out of her car looking for Michael. She spotted him sitting alone on the bench. "Michael…?" asked Rose walking over to him.

Michael didn't say anything at first.

"Michael…." said Rose putting her hand on his shoulder.

Michael snapped out of it and jumped feeling Rose's hand on his shoulder. He hopped up from the bench in a fighting stance.

Rose jumped back. "Michael! It's me…I'm sorry I scared you." Rose felt her heart beating fast. "Are you okay…?" asked Rose walking over to him.

Michael backed away from her. This was what he had been afraid of…he had been afraid of freaking her out. He could see the fear in her eyes and that made him feel like a monster. "I…I'm sorry…maybe you should get someone else to show you around." Michael started to walk away.

"Michael! Wait!" said Rose running after him. She gently grabbed his hand. "You don't have anything to apologize for. I am sorry that I scared you…I called your name but you didn't say anything…"

"I scared you…" said Michael looking at her. "I've been worried this whole time that I would do something to freak you out and I finally did it…I don't want to hurt you or scare you." said Michael.

"I scared you first Michael…I was just worried about you. You were sitting there staring off into space…you didn't hear me at all…I was worried that something was wrong. You are a nice guy…I can't believe that you would do anything to hurt me." said Rose.

"Maybe not on purpose…but I might accidentally hurt you…sometimes…I just react…" confessed Michael. He looked at Rose standing in front of him. The sun was starting to go down so she was backlit by the setting sun and she looked beautiful to him. But more than that instead of the fear he thought he would see in her eyes…all he saw as concern for him. He said "I'm not okay…the appointment I had this afternoon at the hospital…I had to take a lot of tests…"

"But you didn't hurt me…and now I know that creeping up behind you and touching on the shoulder might startle you." said Rose. Rose's look of concern grew, but she didn't ask him anything. She knew that if he felt like telling her, he would.

"I was shot in the head a couple of years ago…during an attempt on my father's life…I was in a coma for a long time after it. That is why you hear some of the kids at Madison call me coma boy." said Michael.

Rose nodded and said "I had wondered about that…but like I told you yesterday…I don't listen to gossip."

"Well, I had some…problems after coming out of the coma…and lately…I've been having headaches and zoning out when I am talking to people. My cousin witnessed one of them, she's a doctor, she was worried and stuff and convinced me to go to the hospital to see a specialist." said Michael.

"Is everything okay?" asked Rose squeezing his hand worriedly.

"I don't know…I left before I found out the results of my tests…my family found out somehow and they came to the hospital and were fighting with the doctors. I just took off. I didn't feel like fighting with them…everything ends up being about them and not me." said Michael.

Rose said "I can't imagine how it feels to have that kind of pressure…but Michael you owe it to yourself to make sure that you have a clean bill of health. This isn't about your family…this is about you being healthy. You have to be scared…I would be scared. But just in the time that we've spent together…I've seen you…drift off more than once. I thought you were just…zoning out for awhile…"

"I guess I am a little worried. But…I just don't want to fight with them. I want this to be about me and not them and not their guilt. And if I go back to the hospital it is going to happen all over again…I don't want to be that sick kid anymore and it scares me that there could be something wrong with my brain. Maybe I need surgery…maybe I'll never be right again." said Michael.

"You were saying earlier that they don't see you as an adult. Well, this is your time…don't let them make this about them. Tell them the truth and find out what is wrong with you." said Rose. "I'm sorry…I am not trying to tell you what to do…I just don't want anything to happen to you. I think you are going to go there and find out that it isn't as bad as you have made it in your mind. But walking around without knowing is much worse than knowing.."

Michael sighed but looked at her and nodded. "Maybe I should go back to the hospital…maybe they won't be there now. Do you think you can give me a ride to the hospital Rose?"

"Of course I will give you a ride. Come on Michael." said Rose linking her arm with his and walked with him to her car. She unlocked the doors and got ready to climb in.

Michael stopped her and said "Thank you for doing this Rose." He walked around to the passenger side of the car and climbed in. He put on his seatbelt.

"You don't have to thank me. You've been the nicest person I've met in Port Charles so far. Well, your sister was pretty friendly too." said Rose. She started up the car and took off toward the hospital. She arrived there after awhile and parked. "I can wait for you…drop you off at home when you are done…"

Michael said "I'd rather still give you a tour of the city…even if it will be dark. What time is your curfew?"

"My parents like me to be home before midnight. But if I tell my father I was hanging out with a friend he shouldn't mind." said Rose.

"Okay…then wait for me in the waiting room." said Michael with a smile. He climbed out of the car and waited on Rose before walking into the hospital with her.

They took the elevator up to the right floor. Rose looked over seeing the nervous look on his face. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "You'll be okay Michael…" said Rose.

Michael and Rose stepped off the elevator together. For some reason he was still clutching Rose's hand. He walked over to the desk seeing Steve Webber standing there. "Uh…Dr. Webber…is Dr. Drake still here? Or Maya?" asked Michael.

Steve looked up from the chart in his hands. "Michael…I am so glad that you came back. We were all worried about you when you left. Sure Patrick is still here…I will have him paged. So is Maya…do you want her here as well?"

Michael nodded and said "Yeah, I'd really like to apologize to her for taking off the way I did. I know she really went to bat for my privacy and I just left…"

Steve said "She understands…your mother is still here…and so is your father…they've been waiting around hoping that you'd come back. I'll make sure that they stay out of your hair though."

Michael looked at Rose a moment and then back to Steve. "No, that is okay I want to talk to them after I see Dr. Drake. "

Steve nodded and walked away paging Steve and Maya.

Michael looked at Rose and realized that he was still holding her hand. But right now he didn't want to let it go. "I don't know how long this will take." said Michael.

"Don't worry about it. I will sit here and read some outdated magazines and entertain myself while you are seeing the doctor." said Rose.

Michael smiled at her and said "Okay."

Maya walked over and said "Michael! I am so glad that you are okay. I am sorry about earlier. I didn't think that they would find out about you being here. I underestimated how fast news travels."

Michael said "It is okay Maya…I heard you yelling in the hall…you really stood up for me…for what I wanted. I really appreciate that." "Oh this is my friend Rose…from school…she convinced me that I should come back…in case you know something is wrong."

"Hi Rose, I am Maya…I am Michael's cousin…sort of. It is nice to meet you. Thank you for convincing him to come back." said Maya.

"Hi, it is nice to meet you too. I am just glad he saw a doctor. Michael is a nice guy." said Rose.

Patrick walked over and said "I am glad that you are back. Why don't we go in a room to talk."

Michael looked at Rose. "I'll be back soon." He finally let her hand go and followed Patrick and Maya.

"Okay I am going to sit over here out of the way." said Rose. Rose went and had a seat around the corner in the lesser used part of the waiting room. It was out of the way and out of the sight of the main desk. She picked up a magazine and started reading.

Michael walked into the room having a seat on the bed. "So how bad is it?"

"It isn't too bad. You have developed epilepsy. It can be caused by trauma injury to the head or brain. You have a little swelling in the brain from what appears to be a formerly untreated concussion. We are going to give you medication that should reduce the swelling. And we are going to give you epilepsy medication to stop the seizures in the meantime. After the swelling in your brain has gone down we will take you off both medications and see if the seizures return." said Patrick with a smile.

"So that is good news right?" asked Michael shocked.

"It is very good news. I've written the two prescriptions for you. I want you to get these filled immediately and start taking them tonight. If you have any questions whatsoever…just call me anytime...day or night." said Patrick.

Michael smiled and said "Thanks. And thank you Maya…I wouldn't have come here without you."

Maya smiled and said "You are welcome Michael."

Michael smiled and got up leaving the room. He went to the waiting room to find Rose.

Michael walked into the waiting area seeing Rose first. He grinned at her. "Rose…I'm fine." said Michael with a smile.

Rose hopped up excitedly. "Michael that is amazing! I told you so!" said Rose walking over to him.

Michael hugged her without even thinking about it. He lifted her off of the ground momentarily in his exuberance. "I know…I know you told me so. I should have listened to you. I was sure that it was going to be bad. They said I just have some swelling so they gave me medicine and once the swelling goes away so should my seizures!"

"That is so awesome!" said Rose hugging him tightly. "I am so glad that you are okay Michael." said Rose laughing. A smile played across her lips.

Sonny and Carly had been around the corner and recognized Michael's voice. They rounded the corner seeing Michael hugging Rose. Carly rushed over. "Michael! Don't you ever do that to me again. I was worried sick about you…what is going on? Why wouldn't you tell us what was going on?"

Michael let go of Rose and turned to look at his mother and father. He took a deep breath. He looked over at Rose.

Rose slipped her hand into Michael's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The two of them holding hands didn't go unnoticed by Carly. "Who is this?" asked Carly suspiciously.

"I left because all of you were arguing and I didn't want to deal with that. I know that you guys worry about me…but sometimes it feels like you are smothering me. And all of you feel so guilty about the mistakes that you have made. And I find myself comforting you instead of it being about me. And I know how bad me being in coma hurt both of you. And I know how bad you both felt about me going to prison. I just didn't want either of you to have to deal with one more bad thing about me." said Michael. "This is my friend Rose Marino she convinced me to come back to the hospital tonight."

Sonny said "Nice to meet you Rose…"

"Nice to meet you too Mr. Corinthos…Mrs. Jacks." said Rose.

"Michael, we are your parents. You shouldn't have to worry about us…we are supposed to worry about you and we do every day. Shutting us out just makes us worry more and it hurts me." said Carly. "You're my little boy." Carly just looked at Rose. "Hello…" said Carly coolly

"That's just the thing. I am not a little boy anymore mom. I haven't been for a long time…I grew up fast…a lot faster than anyone should grow up. But it has already happened you can't go back now. I am an adult and some things I have to do on my own. You have to understand that. This is my life…and I have to be the one to figure things out for myself. You two can't fix everything for me anymore." said Michael.

Sonny said "Michael, we love you and I know you aren't a kid anymore. But no matter if you are 18 or 80…we will always worry about you and want what is best for you. That is what parents do and we will do that until the day we die. So…are you okay?"

"I understand that. But what I am asking is for the two of you to stop treating me like a child. I need to make my own decisions. I go to college next year…maybe. I will be away from both of you and on my own. I need to be able to take care of myself. And I can't do that if the two of you are trying to rule my life…it's my life. And I've been trying to say this to you for a long time but…it is like you don't hear me…especially you mom. I am okay. I have some swelling in the brain but Dr. Drake thinks that with the medicines he has prescribed I should be better soon. I have been having seizures but didn't know what they were until Maya saw me have one." said Michael.

Carly said "Seizures… Michael….I just want to take care of you. I've made so many mistakes baby…if I could take them all back…"

"But you can't and I wouldn't want you to. I glad that my dad is Sonny Corinthos. I wouldn't want it to be any other way. I don't want to be a Quartermaine. I don't want to be a Jacks. I am Michael Corinthos III and I am happy with that. I feel bad for Krissy and Morgan because they missed out on really getting to know dad. But then I also realize that…I don't want them to pay the same prices that I have paid." said Michael.

"We need to talk about this more…why don't you come to my house?" said Carly. "Okay let's just go. Say goodbye to your friend." said Carly.

Michael said "I'll come by tomorrow and see you mom. But for now…I am going to hang out with Rose. I promised her that I would take her sight-seeing tonight."

Carly just stared at him a moment and said "I love Michael…I don't understand what is going on…or who is filling your head with this…" She walked off.

Sonny was still standing there. "I will talk to your mother and try to get her to understand what you are saying…I understand son…I really do. I think time has passed us by so quickly that sometimes we forget that you have grown up. But you have and…I couldn't ask for a better son than you. But next time that you are sick…just tell us. I won't try to come with you…but don't leave us in the dark because guessing is worse…"

Michael nodded and said "Thank you for understanding dad…goodnight."" Are you ready to go Rose."

Rose nodded and said "Sure let's go Michael." Rose and Michael left the hospital together and headed to her car. They both climbed in and Rose looked to Michael. "So where do we go first?"

Michael said "Thank you for bringing me back to the hospital and for standing there with me when I talked to my parents…"

"You don't have to thank me Michael. Friends do that for one another." said Rose.

Michael smiled and said "yeah…they do."

Michael and Rose drove around Port Charles for two hours. He gave her a guided tour of the city which ended at the Lookout Point. They both got out of the car.

Rose looked around. "It looks beautiful…"

"You can see the whole city from here. I love to come up here and just think. When I am here…it feels like all of the pressure…all of the bad stuff…is so far away." said Michael he had a seat on a bench.

"It is amazing…that is one of the things I used to love about Miami…seeing how the skyline twinkled at night…the lights from the buildings always looked like stars to me from a distance." said Rose sitting next to Michael on the bench.

"I used to love looking up at the stars…I haven't done that much lately. With everything that has been going on I haven't took the time to appreciate…anything. Sometimes I just want to take off and go somewhere else. But I could never leave my family behind…" said Michael.

"If you were to go somewhere…where would it be Michael?" asked Rose looking out at the sky. "It is amazing how clear the sky looks tonight…it almost looks like a picture out of a book or something…" said Rose.

"I don't know…my dad owns a couple of islands in the Caribbean… there is one that I used to go to when I was younger. I think if I was going to get away from everyone and everything…I would go there. It was like paradise." said Michael.

"I've been to one of your dad's islands once or twice before…it was amazing. I was a kid but I loved it…the water was so clear…and the sand was so soft and white under my feet." said Rose.

"We might be talking about the same island. I usually went there for bad reasons but it was still so great to go there and have fun and get away from everything bad back here in Port Charles." said Michael.

"I know that feeling…the times my family stayed there…we weren't there for a vacation…we were there for safety…" said Rose going quiet knowing she had said too much.

Michael said "It was same for me…I would go there when we were in danger…so on one hand it was…fun but on the other hand…I knew that I was in danger…that my family was in danger. I guess we don't have to pretend…about what line of work our families are in…"

Rose nodded and said "Same for me and my family. I can still remember being like eight years old…and my grandfather had retired…and my uncle Constantino had taken over the business…and he had made a lot of enemies…and one night my dad's car sped through the front gate up to the main house…and he got out of the car bleeding. Someone had shot him…my parents packed us up and we left for your father's island that night. I think we were there for a month before we could go back home."

"Do you ever wish you were from a different family? That maybe you could have lived a different life with other people?" asked Michael.

"Never…my family…good or bad have made me what I am today…and I love them and I love my life. Even the hard stuff. What about you? After everything that has happened to you?" asked Rose curiously.

"I couldn't imagine any other family. They are dysfunctional and weird but I love them. I think that is hard on my mom and step-dad sometimes. Me and my brother Morgan we both love my dad a lot…and that isn't ever going to change. But because of the danger my mom wants my step-dad to adopt Morgan…and give him a different last name. Morgan doesn't really want to do it but I think it might be good. I want him as far away from this life as he can be. I am choosing this path I don't want him to do the same. I am still not sure not changing his name changes anything." said Michael.

Rose said "How is that going to keep him safe? It isn't as if he is a baby and no one knows that he is Sonny Corinthos' son. Changing his name isn't going to change the fact that if someone wants to get to your father…your brother is going to be a target. Changing his name just gives everyone a false sense of security. This life…we were born into…we are marked for the rest of our lives and it never leaves. My dad has always been on the straight and narrow…never involved in the business...but when people wanted to get to my uncle…they shot my father like a dog in a the street…and if it had not been for the security he had with him…he would have been dead. What path is that?"

Michael said "I guess my mom thinks if she keeps Morgan away…maybe people will forget about him but you are right…changing his name still leaves him exposed. My path?" Michael cleared his throat not wanting to tell her.

Rose smiled at him and said "Michael…I am not going to run off and tell anyone…the reason my oldest brother Cristian…stayed in Miami is because he works for my uncle. He's moving up the ranks…" She figured if she shared then he could feel comfortable sharing too.

Michael looked at her and said "I've known what I wanted to do for a long time Rose…I've known that one day I wanted to take over my father's business. But none of them want me in that life. They want me to go to college and get a normal job…but this is what I know…this is what I want."

"Even with the risk of going to prison?" asked Rose looking at him.

"I went to prison and I was too young to defend myself. More importantly no one had ever taught me how to take care of myself…I know how to now. But they don't respect me. They look at me as this dumb kid not capable of anything. I get it…I get this business. I get the world that my dad operates in because…all of those years when they thought I was just playing like a stupid kid and not paying attention…I was…I was watching and learning…and I understand it…the brutality of it…isn't because you want to kill people…." said Michael.

"It's because you have to…to keep your family safe…and to protect what is yours…protect your territory…protect your crews…there is always someone out there ready to take what is yours. If you let them…." said Rose.

Michael smiled a little. "You understand a lot for a girl…"

Rose laughed and said "Oh! For a girl? Listen to you. You think you are the only one who grew up listening and watching. I know more about my family than they think I do because I do listen. I take in everything I hear and see…and I remember it…"

He laughed and said "Wait…I didn't mean it that way. I just meant…it is still sort of a man's business…you don't see or hear about many women…."

Rose nodded and said "Yeah, there is no way that they'd ever let me be involved…even if I wanted to be…I'm a girl. Born into the world an inferior…in our world that is…but I don't mind. I have a good life and they treat me like a princess. It was bound to happen I am the only girl in my family. Literally…my uncles only have boy children. My dad was the only one of them to have a girl."

"If you could be? Would you want to be?" asked Michael curiously.

"I don't know…maybe…good or bad it is the life that I know. Maybe I'll become a security consultant at my dad's firm. They want me to be a lawyer or a doctor…but…I don't know… I think I'd be a laughing stock as a lawyer…can you imagine me being a prosecutor… they'd laugh me out of court. And as a defense lawyer they'd think I was dirty even if I wasn't…." said Rose.

"Well, you could always be a lawyer and defend your family. Keep them out of legal trouble…who better to protect the family than someone who stands to lose too if the person is put n jail. My dad's lawyer is good…but she doesn't have a stake in his freedom. If he goes to jail sure she won't get paid anymore…but she'll move on to the next client." said Michael.

"You've got a point there…who better to protect the family than someone that knows where all of the bodies are buried…figuratively that is…I can't believe I'd never thought of being a lawyer for the family…you've got some good ideas Corinthos." said Rose.

"I think you might be the only one to ever say something like that to me. So when is your exhibition game? I want to be there…" said Michael. He definitely felt a connection with this girl. He wasn't sure if it was just because of their similar families or was it something more than that. But he definitely liked her.

"It is Monday night…make sure you cheer for me…I could use the support. I hope I make the team it is really important to me. When do you find out about the baseball team?" asked Rose.

"Coach said that he would put the list up Monday morning outside of the field house. So I will know then…I don't know if I am going to make it onto the team or not." said Michael shrugging. "Don't worry I will be there cheering for you." said Michael with a smile. "Even if volleyball isn't a real sport." said Michael with a smirk. He laughed.

"I think you are going to make it Michael. You were amazing out there you know. You were great at the short stop position." said Rose. She nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Hey….! Stop making fun of volleyball. Besides….you get to see girls in short shorts jumping for a ball."

Michael smiled and said "Thanks…" He laughed and said "Well, why didn't you describe the uniforms before! I'll be there." He chuckled to let her know he was only teasing. "So other than volleyball what other sports do you like?"

"Oh man…if you mean to watch…I will watch any sport. Doesn't matter what it is. As far as playing…I like volleyball, softball, soccer, I like basketball but I am too short for it." said Rose laughing since she was about 5'9'. "I am really competitive…I like to win."

"You aren't that short you know…I like most sports too. Usually just having something to cheer for is cool with me." said Michael.

"What kind of movies do you like?' asked Rose.

"Oh man…comedies…and westerns. I love both of them. I love stuff to make me laugh and I love the old cowboys and Indians thing too. I like action movies too as long as the special effects are good." said Michael.

"I love comedies and action movies. I can't stand westerns." said Rose laughing.

"What? Just when I was starting to think that you were cool!" joked Michael.

She laughed. "I just could never get into them."

"Maybe you just haven't seen the right movies…I should show you a few of my favorites." said Michael laughing.

Rose chuckled and said "I might give it a try….so what about music…what do you listen to?"

"I don't know I listen to some of everything…if it sounds good I will listen to it. My iPod has all kinds of music on it." said Michael.

"Same here…I like music no matter what genre it is from." said Rose.

Rose and Michael sat there talking for another hour before they heard a clap of thunder overhead. Michael said "Looks like it is going to start raining soon. But I am not ready to leave yet."

"Well, then let's stay a little longer. We'll leave before it starts to rain though." said Rose. But as she said that the sky seemed to open up and it started to pour down rain. Rose laughed and said "Maybe not!"

Michael laughed and said "Come on let's go!" Michael got up and headed down the hill toward the car after he took Rose's hand so that she would keep up with him. As they were running down the hill the dirt path became slick from the rain and Michael lost his footing. He slid in the mud and fell and accidentally pulled Rose down with him. "Are you okay?" asked Michael looking up at her.

Rose nodded and said "I am okay…muddy…but okay. Are you okay?" Rose was more worried about Michael. She was concerned that he might have hit his head.

Michael saw the worry in her eyes and wiped some mud from her cheek. "I am okay Rose…let's get out of here before the rain gets much worse." Michael helped Rose up from the ground and walked with her the rest of the way down the hill to the car taking his time to be sure that they didn't slip again.

Rose unlocked her car but said "it is so dark out Michael. I don't know Port Charles good enough to drive us anywhere in the rain. You are going to have to drive. Are you okay to drive?"

Michael walked over taking the keys from her. "Sure I can drive." He looked at her and chuckled. She was soaking wet and covered in mud. "You are a mess…" said Michael laughing. "We can go to my brother's loft so that you can clean up some before you go home."

Rose laughed and said "You look just like me…..worse." Rose walked over to the passenger side of the car and climbed in. She put on her seatbelt and watched as Michael got in and did the same.

Michael started up the car and took off toward Dante's place but the longer he drove the worse the weather was. Michael said "I don't think driving to Dante's is such a good idea. This storm is getting pretty bad. I think we need to stop off somewhere until it dies down."

Rose nodded and said "I think that you are right Michael. Where should we go instead?"

"We can go to my mom's house…" said Michael. He drove over there and parked in front of the house. He got out of the car and ran to the front door with Rose. Michael unlocked the door and let them into the house. It was around 10:00 at night. "I still have a room here…we can go up there." said Michael. He led her upstairs to his bedroom. He walked into the room and flipped on the lights. He closed the door behind them. "I can't believe it started storming like that."

Rose laughed and said "I think that it is hilarious." She rubbed her arms a little as goose bumps started appear because she was cold.

Michaels aw her rubbing her arms and walked over to her. "You are freezing aren't you? Mom keeps it pretty cold in here. We've got to get you out of those clothes…let me see what I have for you to wear." Michael walked over to his dresser and looked for something for Rose to put on. He finally came up with shorts and a t-shirt. "Here…they will be big but I think you can pull the drawstring to keep them from falling off. My bathroom is right through that door. There should be fresh towels in the bathroom for you to use."

Rose said "Thanks Michael." Rose walked into the bathroom closing the door behind her.

Michael grabbed some clean clothes and went to another bathroom to clean up. Michael washed up and washed his hair. He blow dried it and then dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Michael took out his cell phone and called Dante.

Dante answered the phone after a few rings. "Hello?"

"Hi Dante. It's Michael. I was just calling to let you know that I am at my mom's house right now. It is storming pretty bad and I couldn't really see well enough to get home. I will be there whenever the storm let's up."

"That is fine. I'd rather you be safe than out in that anyway. So…how are you doing? I mean Sonny told me that you went back to the hospital." said Dante.

"I am okay…I have some swelling on the brain…but Dr. Drake thinks that I will be better in no time. I know that all of you are worried about me. But I'm not a kid…I'm adult and I need to be able to learnt o take care of myself and make my own decisions. I mean that is what you want right? It's the reason why you want me away from Dad so that I can learn to make the right decisions without his influence…" said Michael.

"No…I know that you are right Michael. You are young man and you do need to start making decisions for yourself and I just hope that they are the right decisions. But being adult doesn't mean going it alone…so if you are ever in trouble…or if you need help. Don't be afraid to ask for it. That is the maturity that a man has in making decisions." said Dante.

Michael said "I think that I can agree to that."

"Well, I will see you whenever you make it home tonight. Be safe." said Dante hanging up.

Michael hung up as well and headed back to his bedroom.

Rose had finished a quick shower and gotten dressed in the navy blue shorts. She had to triple knot the drawstring to keep them up on her slender hips. The Yankees' t-shirt that he had given her to wear was way too big on her. She had a seat on Michael's bed not knowing where he had gone. She looked around at his room and smiled seeing his baseball memorabilia lining the walls. She chuckled softly. She saw some pictures of him and his family but resisted the urge to go over and look at them closely. She didn't want to violate his policy.

Michael walked into the room a few minutes later and smiled seeing that Rose had showered and was dressed. "I'll take your clothes and toss them into the washer. Hopefully, once our clothes are washed and dried the storm will have broken so that you could go home. I hope your seats aren't too bad off."

Rose smiled and said "Okay thanks Michael. At least my seats are leather. I should be able to just wipe them down with no problem." Rose picked up her clothes and followed Michael through the house quietly.

Michael led her to the laundry room and tossed their clothes into the washer and started it up. He looked over and saw Rose looking at him with a smirk on her face. "What?' asked Michael laughing.

"You know how to do your own laundry?" asked Rose with a laugh.

He smiled and said "Yes, I know how to do my own laundry. I learned when I was like 11 or something. Impressed by my skills hmm? It isn't hard. Do you know how to do your own laundry?" He chuckled teasing her.

"Of course I know how to do my own laundry. I was just shocked that you did.." said Rose laughing.

Michael walked with her into the kitchen. "I've picked up a few domestic skills here and there growing up. Like I learned how to cook too which has come in handy living with Dante because my cousin Lulu is busy and can't cook that well. Do you want a snack or something?"

"Sure I didn't really have dinner." said Rose. "I am sort of starving right now." said Rose laughing.

"Neither did I…let me see what we have." said Michael looking in the refrigerator.

Rose had a seat at the island and watched Michael.

"We've got some leftover grilled chicken breasts. We can have that with some pasta." said Michael.

"Sounds good to me. Do you need any help?" asked Rose getting up and walking over to the stove. "You'll just have to point me into the direction of where everything is located."

Michael smiled at her. "Sure. I could use the help." The two of them joked around as they worked together to cook. What was supposed to be a snack turned into penne pasta with spicy marinara sauce, grilled chicken breasts, and a salad. Michael showed Rose where the dishes were so that she could set the table. When everything was done Michael carried everything to the table and had a seat with Rose.

"This smells…great." said Rose sitting next to Michael. They both started to eat dinner. "This marinara on this is great Michael. It has a kick to it with all of that red pepper flake you added." laughed Rose washing it down with some water.

"Sorry about that. Sometimes I can be too heavy handed when I cook. I don't do it very often. But I like to cook sometimes. It is of the things I enjoyed doing with my dad. I mean when you get him in the kitchen you'd think that his name was Emeril or something." said Michael eating dinner.

"I cook pretty well but I like to make more. But then again I told you earlier that I have a major sweet tooth. But this is great." said Rose eating.

"I have a family dinner to go to…I have to say I am sort of looking forward to it. My sister's mother Alexis is hosting a dinner at her house tomorrow. It should be interesting and awkward all at the same time. My dad will be there, so will Kristina and Morgan, and Kristina's sisters Samantha and Molly. And sometimes we all get along and sometimes we don't. Krissy really gives my dad a hard time because of the life he leads." said Michael.

"Family dysfunction is always fun even when it is bad. I just sit back and look at my family and say to myself…when I get married things will be different." said Rose chuckling.

"You want to get married one day? I think marriage is a lie…they never work…not really anyway. People lie and cheat…scheme…look out for themselves…I can do that on my own. In the end you just end up being two broken people." said Michael.

"I can see that but at the same time I think…spending the rest of your life with someone is the ultimate test of strength. It is easy to do whatever you want but it takes courage…to be able to compromise to make a relationship work. I know that somewhere out there…the right guy for me exists." said Rose.

"How very Disney princess of you." said Michael chuckling. "But all joking aside I think it is good…"

After dinner Michael went into the laundry and switched their clothes to the dryer. When he came back into the kitchen he saw Rose loading the dishwasher. "Thanks for doing that.'

"It was the least I could do after the great meal you prepared." said Rose with a smile.

"Well, our clothes are in the dryer. Do you want to watch a movie or something while we wait for them to finish?"

"Sure I'd love that…as long as it isn't a western." teased Rose.

He laughed and said "I'll find and action movie." Michael walked with her to the living room and looked through all of the dvds. "What about Mr. and Mrs. Smith?" asked Michael.

"I love that movie…it is like a chick flick and an action film all stuffed into one movie. Besides…Brad Pitt is hot." said Rose laughing quietly.

Michael chuckled and said "Okay." He put in the disc and then had a seat with Rose on the couch. He started the movie and turned off the lamp next to the couch.

Rose scooted closer to Michael and relaxed watching the movie.

Michael felt a little weird being this close to someone. He was having conflicting feelings. His 18 year old libido wanted to put his arm around Rose. But his nervousness stopped him. Instead he pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and put it over them in case she got cold. Halfway through the movie Michael put an arm around Rose finally getting enough courage to do so.

Rose didn't seem bothered by it at all and just relaxed against Michael's side as they watched the movie. Rose ended up falling asleep during the movie.

Jax came in having just flown back from a dinner meeting in Denver. He closed the door behind him and walked into the living room. "Michael?" asked Jax a little surprised.

Michael looked up and gently slid off the couch. "Uh…yeah…sorry for just dropping by like this. It was raining too hard for us to make it to Dante's place. We slipped in the mud…"

Jax nodded and said "This is your home too Michael. You can stop here whenever you need to. Where is your mom?"

"She was already in bed when I came here." said Michael.

Jax nodded and said "Well, good night." Jax headed upstairs.

Michael went to the laundry room and retrieved their newly dried clothes. He walked back to the living room. "Rose…" said Michael quietly so that he didn't startle her.

Rose opened her eyes and said "Wow…I must have drifted to sleep…I am sorry about that."

"It's fine." said Michael laughing. "Our clothes are dry and the storm has passed over." said Michael handing Rose her clothes.

Rose smiled and said "Thanks Michael."

Michael walked with Rose up to his room so that should change. He gave her some privacy and walked down the hall to the bathroom to change his own clothes.

Michael stood outside of his room waiting for her to come out.

Rose opened the door and smiled. "I am ready to go." whispered Rose. "I had such a good time today." said Rose.

Michael said "I had a good time too Rose. I like hanging out with you." He smiled at her. "And thanks for convincing me to go back to the hospital today."

"You are welcome Michael. I am just glad that you are going to be okay. I wouldn't want to lose my new friend before I get to know him good." said Rose with a smile.

Michael smiled at her and hugged her. "Come on let's get out of here." Michael pecked her on the lips. He was about to apologize when he heard a sleepy voice from behind him.

"Michael?" asked Morgan from his bedroom door.

Michael turned around and said "Hey buddy…did I wake you up?" Michael walked over to his brother.

"No…I had to go to the bathroom and I heard voices. Are you sleeping over?" asked Morgan excitedly.

"No…I just stopped by. I am going back to Dante's house. But I will see you tomorrow okay…but don't tell mom I was here …okay?" asked Michael.

"Okay…I'll see you tomorrow." said Morgan. He hugged Michael.

Michael smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow kiddo." Michael walked over to Rose taking her hand and they slipped out of the house trying not to wake anyone else.

Rose climbed into her car and waited on Michael to climb in before she drove him to Dante's building.

Michael glanced at the time. "I am sorry I made you late for your curfew."

She smiled and said "I am sure my dad will understand. Driving in it would have been dangerous. I will leave out the part about me falling asleep. Goodnight Michael."

"Rose…I am sorry about kissing you…" said Michael hoping it wouldn't make things awkward between them.

"I'm not…" replied Rose with a small smile. She leaned over and pecked him on the lips just as quickly as he had done earlier.

Michael smiled back at her and climbed out of her car. He stood there until she had pulled off and then headed up to Dante's loft. He walked in with a goofy grin on his face and closed the door behind him.

Dante was waiting up for him. "I am glad you made it home okay." Dante saw the look on his face. "Is everything okay?"

"Uh…yeah everything…is great." said Michael laughing a little. He kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the couch.

"Anything you want to talk about?" asked Dante laughing at the look on his younger brother's face.

"No…just thinking maybe this won't be such a bad school year after all." said Michael.


	4. Chapter 4

Michael arrived at Alexis' house the next night for dinner with his dysfunctional family. But it would be nice to be able to see his father so it was a bonus. He walked up to the door and knocked.

Alexis opened the door and smiled seeing Michael standing there. "Good Evening Michael. Come on inside. Kristina and her friend Taylor are in the den watching television. She is waiting for you." Alexis moved to let him into the house.

Michael said "Thank you for letting me come over for dinner. It is really great to see everyone. Has Morgan got here yet?" Michael walked into the house.

"Yes, he is up in Molly's room with her. How are you doing?" asked Alexis. She knew from talking to Kristina that Michael was having a difficult time adjusting to life after prison. He may have only been there a short amount of time but prison was no place for a young man.

"I am doing okay…is my dad here?" asked Michael. He didn't want it to seem like that was the only reason that he was there but it was hard having limited contact with Sonny. He couldn't understand why anyone thought it was a good idea or that it would somehow change who he was.

Alexis nodded and said "Sonny is in the kitchen cooking. He insisted on doing the cooking tonight and I can't say that I argued with him. It is nice not to have to do the cooking. Go on in and see him. He is anxious to see you." Alexis closed the front door and walked over to the couch where she had been seated listening to music and enjoying a glass of wine.

Michael said "Thanks…" Michael walked into the kitchen and said "Hi dad…" Michael walked over to where Sonny was and saw what he was making for dinner. "Wow you are going all out aren't you? Chicken parmigiana and eggplant parm?"

Sonny turned seeing Michael and walked over hugging his son. "I wanted to do a big meal for everyone to enjoy we are having a caesar salad to go along with it. It isn't often that we all get together like this. How are you doing? How are the seizures?" asked Sonny concerned but trying to treat him as an adult. This was new territory for Sonny as a father and he was just trying to figure it all out.

"I am doing okay. I took the medicine that Dr. Drake prescribed for me. So far so good but I haven't had any headaches…but it has only been one day. How are you doing dad? I mean with Jason being away….how are things with Johnny?" asked Michael. He was worried that the tenuous peace between his father and Johnny would end up erupting in violence yet again.

"Well, if the headaches come back…you should see the doctor. I am doing well son. I am here tonight with almost all of my children. I get to see you which is one of the most important things about tonight. Well, Jason is actually on his way back. He should make it here for dinner tonight with Sam." said Sonny.

Morgan came into the kitchen and said "Dad everyone wants to know when dinner will be ready?" He grinned seeing Michael. "Hi Michael! I was wondering when you were going to get here."

Michael chuckled and said "Hi buddy. Are you having a good time hanging out with Molly?" Michael leaned against the counter.

"Yeah, we are having a lot of fun. Molly is telling me about her books and I am telling her about sailing on Jax's boat. Dad….when is dinner going to be ready?"

"I will be done soon Morgan and then we will all get to eat." said Sonny chuckling. It was times like these when he almost wished he was still with Carly…almost.

Morgan said "Okay…." He looked over at Michael. "Was that your girlfriend last night?" asked Morgan curiously as he looked at Michael.

Michael had hoped that in Morgan's sleepy haze that he would have forgotten all about seeing him and Rose in the hallway last night. "Uh…no…not really. She is just a friend from school Morgan." said Michael not really sure how else to describe Rose to Morgan.

"But if she is just a friend then why did you kiss her?" asked Morgan curiously. Morgan might have been in middle school still but he had a grasp of a lot more than people gave him credit for.

Sonny quirked an eyebrow at his sons. He decided to give Michael a reprieve from the awkward questions. "Morgan why don't you go spend some time with your cousin Molly before dinner gets ready. I'll call up for you when dinner is done. Go on."

Morgan said "So you want me to stop asking questions." He smiled and laughed. He walked out of the kitchen heading back to Molly's room.

"So I am guessing that this friend Morgan saw you with is the same friend you were at the hospital with yesterday evening?" asked Sonny tending to the different pots on the stove.

Michael nodded and said "Yes…Rose…Rose Marino. She is new to Madison Prep. She's been a really great friend these last couple of days. She even showed up at baseball tryouts to cheer me on. She's a nice girl. I guess I could use a friend or two at Madison. You know other than Krissy."

"And you kissed her last night? Where were you that Morgan saw the two of you together?" asked Sonny. Sonny was already well aware of who Rose was. He had recognized her the previous day at the hospital and had called her father, Marco Marino. The two of them had gotten to know one another in Bensonhurst when they were younger.

"I…I don't know why but I did. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing. I thought she was upset but…when we were in her car…she kissed me back so… I think that we are okay. I was wondering when I should call her again without seeming like a creepy guy. We were at mom's house last night because of bad weather. I took her to Lookout Point last night and we hung out there for awhile just talking. But then it started to rain and when we were heading down hill we slipped and got muddy. Long story short we went to mom's house to wash our clothes. I made dinner for her and we watched a movie while the clothes were washing and drying. Morgan saw us as we were saying goodnight." said Michael. Michael was quiet a moment. "I think you know her family…her uncle is Constantino Marino."

Sonny nodded and said "I recognized her yesterday at the hospital but it didn't seem like the time or the place to bring it up. And you are right I do know her family. They are good people good friends."

Michael thought about how to say it. "So is it okay if I see her…as more than a friend?" asked Michael figuring it was best just to be upfront. "Not that I am even sure if she likes me like that but. I don't know I was thinking of asking her to go to the movies with me. But I mean she has to drive me…and this is weird…and I can't ask her to walk…"

"I don't care who you date son as long as she is a nice young woman and you behave like a nice young man. And you know what I am glad to see you making friends. Friends will help the time pass easier…things won't look so dismal for you over there at Madison Prep. I know you don't want to be there but I am proud of you for stepping up and finishing your senior year of high school. Well, you are back in school now. I don't see any reason why I can't buy a car for you. I know I can't really be seen in public with you but I can send Jason and my accountant with you and you can pick out something you like. Look at is as a senior year gift. You can get something like the silver car you had. And I think asking her out to the movies is a great idea. You know…you met her a time or two on the island when you were both just…little kids. You two would chase each other around for hours." said Sonny chuckling. Sonny had to smile in this moment it felt like Michael was living the normal life of a teenager. He was thinking about girls and dates and cars.

"Well, I owe that to you. When I saw that you were willing to come back to Port Charles to fight the attempted charges against you, I decided that the least I could do was go to school with a bunch of jerks for a year. I still don't know if I want to go to college. I'd love a new car dad. Any ideas of when we could set that up? We knew each other? I mean I knew she said her family stayed on the island a couple of times but…I didn't realize I had been there at the same time." said Michael.

Sonny said "Well, a smart woman reminded me that sometimes…doing what I think is best for the people that I love…isn't the same as doing what they think is best. She made me realize that leaving might have made your lives easier…but you would have been worse off without me in your lives. You need to go to college Michael. Jason, your mother, and me…we want you to have all of the opportunities this world has to offer you and college will give you that start. I don't see why you couldn't go car shopping after school on Monday. Yeah…things were…dangerous for both of our families at the time so we all took a little retreat to the island."

"Smart woman? Is it Brenda? The woman you saw while you were in Rome?" asked Michael. "What opportunities do I really have as an ex-con dad? A felon? A murderer? Your son?" asked Michael.

"Yes, it is Brenda…I saw her briefly while I was in Rome. She made a lot of sense comparing my decision to a decision I had made in the past. Michael I know that you believe that your future appears bleak. But you have more opportunities than you believe. I'd like you to go see a career counselor. He can give you some solid answers to your questions. He can tell you just what opportunities are out there for you." said Sonny.

"I've known what I wanted to do for most of my life and going to prison hasn't changed my mind. But none of you respect me enough to see that I have potential that I am not some dumb kid that can't do anything. That doesn't understand anything. I know more and I've seen more than any of you really would like to admit. But just because none of you want to face the truth…doesn't mean that 9it just doesn't exist." said Michael pointedly.

Sonny had never heard Michael express himself in such a direct way. He was stunned into silence for a moment before saying. "Michael, we believe that you are a smart and capable young man. We all believe that you can do anything that you put your mind to. We just want better for you than this life. You and your siblings are always in danger. Bad things have happened to all of you because of who I am and what I do for a living. We want better for you Michael. We want you to live a better life than we have given you."

"But isn't it my choice...it is my life and I know what I want to do with it. I shouldn't have to stifle my dreams because of your fears. When you thought that Dante was Dominic you were ready to hand the family over to him. And even now...if Dante stopped being a cop today and wanted into the business you'd let him in without a thought about it. Because you believe that he is more capable than I am. Maybe it is because I am too young or maybe it is because he's really your son." said Michael. Michael was a little shocked that he had actually said that to his father. Of course he had thought it for a long time but he had never brought himself to say it to Sonny's face. And he automatically regretted it as he watched Sonny's face contort into some form of hurt or disappointment.

Sonny walked over to Michael and put his hand on his son's shoulder and said "I want you to listen to me and I want you to hear what I am saying. I love all of my children the same. And you and I have a bond together that Dante and I can never have. And it isn't just because he wants nothing to do with me or that he is a cop. It is because I raised you. I watched you grow up from a little baby. All of my hopes and dreams are tied up in you because I know you can be a better man than I have ever been. I want you to live a life that is free from legal prosecution, territory disputes, times on the lam away from your family, violence, and danger."

"Other than disputes over territory I've already lived through all of that and it wasn't by choice. This would be by choice." said Michael.

Sonny was exasperated talking to Michael he finally relented and said "Let me give it some thought? Okay?"

Michael was shocked that Sonny relented even that much. Michael nodded and said "yeah…sure I can do that. I think I am going to go see what Krissy is up to. I've been a little occupied the last couple of days so I haven't seen her as much. She has been sending me a lot of texts." Michael left the kitchen and walked to the den where Alexis said Kristina and Taylor were. He walked into the room and saw them on the couch watching a movie together.

Kristina hopped up and ran over to Michael giving him a hug. "You've been like ghost since Thursday. What have you been up to?" She had gotten used to seeing him every day since he had gotten out of Pentonville.

Michael laughed a little and hugged his sister. He walked over and had a seat in an arm chair. "I have been busy with a school project and some other stuff." He wasn't ready to talk about Rose because he knew Kristina she would be ready to play 20 questions about everything and Michael seriously didn't have a lot of answers. Sure he liked Rose and she was a nice girl. He was definitely interested in her and she seemed interested in him. But Michael was still concerned about getting too close to her. So far he had only freaked out once which was when she had touched his shoulder in the park but that was mild and he knew he could be a lot worse and he had a hard time controlling his reactions. "What are you guys doing in here?" asked Michael.

"We are watching Dark Knight and I am trying to convince Kristina to go to the back to school dance with me. It is next weekend but she won't go." said Taylor.

Kristina had a seat next to Taylor and said "Everyone is going to be looking at me like a…I just don't want to go and have a bad time. I've been flying under the radar this week. But going to something like the annual back to school dance is just asking for people to start teasing me."

Michael said "Krissy you love dances and stuff like that. You should go and have fun. Don't worry about what people are going to say about you. And if you realize you are having a bad time you can always leave early."

Kristina shook her head and said "I don't know…will you go Michael?"

He laughed and said "Taylor is going as your date. I would look weird tagging along with the two of you as a third wheel. I'd be that creepy older brother."

Taylor said "We could all go as friends…no pressure on anyone." Taylor knew that Kristina would be more likely to go to the dance if Michael tagged along with them.

Kristina grinned at Taylor and then turned her attention back to Michael. "See we can go as friends and then you will be there and I will feel better…you know more comfortable and safer…and I will have a better time all around."

Michael held in a sigh. He heated saying no to his sister. She was always a source of support for him no matter what was going on. He said "Let me think about it Krissy…"

Alexis walked into the room. "Hey guys. Dinner is ready and Jason and Sam have finally arrived."

Everyone filed out of the den and found their places at the dinner table. For two hours everyone enjoyed dinner and dessert together and talked about everything and anything. And for those two hours they were a real family.

As Michael was getting ready to leave he suddenly realized that he had been missing that feeling. Michael was in his own thoughts when he realized someone was calling his name. "Huh?" asked Michael.

Sonny said "Oh I wanted to give you this. I was looking at an old photo album last night and I found this picture." He handed the picture to Michael. Michael looked at the snapshot of him on a beach when he was about 7 years old. There was a girl about his age dumping a pail of sand on him.

"Is that Rose?" asked Michael laughing looking at the picture.

Sonny nodded and said "yes it is…" He smiled and said "I thought you might like to have it."

"Thanks dad." said Michael. He walked out onto the porch and looked at the picture a little longer. He heard a voice and looked up seeing Jason standing next to him. "What did you say?" asked Michael giving Jason a confused look.

Jason said "I was asking you if you me to give you a ride home?" Jason glanced at the picture Michael had been staring at.

Michael nodded and said "Sure that would be great." Michael headed out to the car with Jason climbed into Jason's car. He put on his seatbelt and relaxed as Jason started driving. He stuffed the picture into his pants' pocket.

"So after dinner your dad told me that we are going car shopping Monday afternoon. Any ideas on what sort of car you want to get?" asked Jason. He wasn't big on doing things like that but if Michael needed something he would be sure to be there for him.

Michael said "I think I will probably get the newer version of the car I had before. It was a good car and I could handle it well. But I might get something bigger."

"Well, you can take as much time as you need figuring out what sort of car you want. So I…heard you were looking for Lucky a few days ago…everything okay?" asked Jason.

Michael said "Uh yeah sure…I just…you were gone and the only other person that I could think of that would understand what I was going through…I thought it would be Lucky…but he was out of the country too. Ethan gave me the number but I just haven't gotten around to calling him."

"Well, do you still need to talk now…?" asked Jason having a good idea about what Michael wanted to talk about. Jason and Lucky had both lost years of their lives due to trauma. Lucky had been brainwashed at one point and Jason had lost his memory and had a major personality shift after he had been injured in a car accident and out into a coma.

"I am just having a hard time adjusting at Madison. I am having a hard time controlling my anger and my reactions to things. Stuff that I used to be able to walk away from just…fills me with…I don't rage and it makes me want to attack and really hurt the person bothering me. The other day a guy shoved me into this girl I met after baseball tryouts…and I wouldn't to bash his head in. It was only her calming effect that kept me from losing my cool. And it wasn't a big deal at first because I just tried to keep my distance from everyone. But then I met this girl and…well I don't want to keep my distance from her. I like spending time with her. But at the same time I am scared that I am going to freak out on her and…possibly hurt her…or make it so that she is scared of me. I mean she's been really understanding so far but she doesn't realize how messed up I really am. We've been hanging out and I think I want to ask her out. I mean but the other day she came up from behind me and touched me on my shoulder and I freaked out. I thought….I don't know what I thought but I was ready to fight. And I realized it was her before I did any harm but…I scared her…I saw it I her eyes and it made me sick to my stomach. But at the same time she was more worried about me than she was about herself. I kind of want to spend more time with her but at the same time I feel like I shouldn't see her anymore. I am a disaster waiting to happen. People keep expecting me to be the same person…but I am not…they want me to be a person that doesn't exist anymore and it is hard. I don't know how to come back from that." said Michael.

"Michael you just need to take your time. The school year is just starting you are just getting to know this girl. You don't have to push yourself to move too quickly. But you also don't need to distance yourself completely. And as far as the lashing out…I can help you harness that. It took me awhile to learn how to control it myself after my accident…it took a lot of work…and some help from your dad. Sonny was really like a father to me after everything happened…that accident stole my life from me. But I gained a new life from it. I know that you can't really have Sonny help you through this but you have me and I won't be leaving Port Charles again anytime soon. I am sorry that I wasn't here when you needed me Michael." said Jason.

"No…Jason it is no big deal. I mean Brenda needed you to protect her that was important. I mean you gave up a couple of months of your life to protect me in Pentonville. I could never be angry at you for going to protect someone else. I think that working with you to control…my lashing out could be good. I know that I will never be normal again. But…I want to appear normal enough so that I don't scare off Rose. I really like her and she gets me…and even the stuff she can't get…she…doesn't look at me like a freak…she looks at me like she cares…where else am I going to find that in a girl my age…that is pretty and smart and funny…and understands…the life." said Michael thinking about Rose for a moment. "Anyway…Kristina wants me to go to this dance…next weekend with her and Taylor. But I don't know if I am ready to be around that many people…an I know guys are going to try to challenge me to prove that they are tough….I don't want to accidentally hurt some idiot and end up in jail all over again…because no one is going to believe that I didn't start it…and I don't know if I will be able to stop myself once I go after someone."

"I am glad that you understand why I had to go and protect Brenda. But I am still sorry for not being there for you when you needed me to be. I promised that I would always take care of you and it is a promise that I will keep. Understands the life?" asked Jason. "You and Rose talk about…."asked Jason trailing off so that Michael could fill in the blanks.

"No…not details or anything…we just both understand what it means to have alleged mobsters in our families…and the danger and the looks that come from it. She doesn't feel normal either…she can relate to me and how I feel but I haven't told her anything specific Jason." said Michael.

"I didn't think that you would Michael I was just wondering what the two of you talked about. And as far as going to this dance thing…you should only go if you want to go…and if you don't then…don't. But if you go and someone starts giving you a hard time just leave. Kristina will understand." said Jason.

"I don't know…normal stuff…music, movies, family…and then the not so normal stuff…me killing my step-mother and going to prison…her getting pregnant at 16….we talked about what we want to do with our lives in the future. She wants to be a lawyer or something…maybe work to keep her family out of jail. It sort of made me think about what I could do…in the future…since you and dad don't want me involved in the business." said Michael.

Jason was a little shocked that Michael was opening up so much with anyone but especially a girl he barely knew.

Michael looked over at Jason and saw the expression on his face. "I know it will sound stupid or whatever…but I feel like I can be myself with her and she won't…be afraid of whoever that is…I mean she saw me kick the crap out of that guy first day of school…but when we first talked…she said that he deserved it and she smiled at me…like…she understood my reaction…it is nice having a girl not be afraid of me…"

"I am glad that you've found a friend Michael. I am glad that you are getting to experience this part of life. How are things with you and Carly?" asked Jason. He had already gotten an earful from Carly about the previous day.

Michael said "I don't know she hasn't talked to me since I told her to back off…and that I was an adult. I think I hurt her feelings even though I wasn't trying to. I just…I needed some space. I need to be able to make my own decisions and mom just…she loves me to the point of smothering me. I know she just wants to make everything better for me...but she just can't fix that…and I know it has to be hard for her. I've just got a lot of stuff going on with me…stuff she can't understand."

"Carly tends to hold on tightly to the things that she loves the most. But just be patient with her. She is slowly getting used to the idea that you aren't a baby anymore. Just let her know that she still has a place in your life…that will make her feel better…" said Jason.

"I know it is just hard…sometimes. But I still love her. Maybe I should have dinner at her house or something…thanks for talking to me about all of this Jason. I didn't know who else to talk to…you and Lucky are the only ones that can understand…when…I guess your brain betrays you…" said Michael.

"Michael…you are my nephew…whenever you need me just call me and I will be there for you…I understand how it is to lose yourself…but if looking at Lucky and me can show you anything…is that…there is life and there is a good life you've just got to work at it to make it happen. I'll be right here every step of the way to get you to where you want to be in life Michael. You aren't alone by any stretch of the imagination." said Jason pulling up at Dante's building.

"Thanks Jason…" said Michael. He got out of the car and headed up to Dante's place. He walked in and was glad to see that he was alone. He went into the bathroom and took a shower and got dressed for bed in a pair of black pajama bottoms and a black tank top. He worked out for about an hour before he pulled out the couch bed and made it up and then climbed into bed tiredly. He looked at his cell phone seeing he had texts from Krissy but he also had one from Rose. He replied to Kristina's texts. He laid there debating if he should call Rose or just respond to her text message. He deiced to call her. Michael dialed her number and waited to see if she would answer.

Rose was watching a movie when she heard her cell phone ring. She reached over picking up the phone and muting the television. "Hello?" asked Rose not bothering to look at the caller ID she was pretty tired at the moment.

"Uh Hi Rose. It's me Michael. I hope I didn't wake you up or anything." said Michael glancing over at the clock on the wall realizing just how late it was.

"No…I was just laying here watching some boring movie on TV. It is something with that chick from Grey's Anatomy in it. Is everything okay?" asked Rose. She had to admit she was glad to hear from Michael. But she hadn't wanted to be creepy and call him.

"Oh sure everything is okay…yeah I just got your text that you sent earlier about meeting tomorrow to work on our project. 5:00 works great for me. Where should we meet?" asked Michael.

Rose said "We can meet at my house if that is okay with you. I sort of need to stick around to keep an eye on my boys. Roman has caught a cold. The nanny can look after him so that we can get the work on our project done but this way I will be close by if he needs me."

"No, sure that is fine Rose. I can meet you at your house. I think we agreed to meet there to begin with." said Michael trying to remember. He wasn't ready to get off of the phone so he searched his brain for some mindless chatter to strike up a conversation with her. "So you said that Roman has a cold…is he okay? So how has your day been?" asked Michael.

"It was a good day. I did some shopping and got settled in more here. It was a boring day except for the part where I took my sons to the park. They had an awesome time. Roman is okay he's just been coughing a lot. He was fine when we went to the park this afternoon. But by tonight he wasn't doing so great. What about you? I think you mentioned having dinner with your family today." said Rose. She turned the tv off and laid in the bed in the dark talking to Michael as she stared up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I had dinner with my family…it was nice. My mom even let my younger brother Morgan come to dinner. It felt really good. It felt…normal. I had a good conversation with my dad…and he gave me a picture…of me and you standing on the beach together when we were like seven years old…so apparently we met each other before. I swear I don't remember this picture or you…no offense." said Michael laughing. "In the picture you are dumping a bucket of sand over my head."

Rose laughed and said "I've got to see this picture. You should bring it with you tomorrow when you come over. It sounds like something that I would do. I always had an innocent face but I was a handful. I think it was because I had all brothers. I am not offended…I only sort of remember you. Maybe I will remember the picture when I see it."

Michael laughed and said "I will bring it with me. You've got to see it. I had a good time tonight talking to my sister but she tried to rope me into going to this stupid dance thing with her and Taylor next weekend. I can tell that she really wants to go to this thing but I think she is nervous about going without me. So she wants me to tag along with them. She says I can go with them as friends, but Taylor was definitely looking like he wanted it to be a date between the two of them. I find it difficult to say no to my sister. It is pathetic isn't it?"

Rose laughed and said "it is not pathetic. Take it from me…my brothers have a difficult time saying no to me. Always have and probably always will. It is something about boys having a younger sister that makes them feel responsible for not only her safety but for her happiness. Well, do you think that she will go without you?"

"I doubt it…I mean the kids have been giving her a hard time about Keifer's death. I think she feels better when I am with her. She is the main reason I came back to Madison Prep instead of going to school at Port Charles High School. If I go with her and Taylor I know that I will be bored and I will be the third wheel. Not to mention I am sure some jerk is going to try to challenge me to prove that he is tougher." said Michael. "I know this isn't even the right way to ask you…but uh…if you don't have plans next Friday night….would you want to go to the dance with me as my…friend or date or something?" asked Michael nervously. He was extremely worried that she would say no. "I mean if you don't want to then you don't have to. It is not a big deal really."

Rose smiled to herself. She realized that Michael was building up to ask her and when he finally did she couldn't help but smile. "Michael I would love to go with you. I mean I wasn't going to go because I didn't want to go alone and not know anyone there. We can all go and be like our own little Breakfast Club of misfits."

He chuckled and said "You and these movie references. But I have to admit I do sort of like the Breakfast Club. It wasn't a half bad movie. So…you really want to go? You aren't just saying that because you like feel sorry for me or something…you know…a pity date with Coma Boy."

Rose chuckled and said "Movies and music are kind of my thing especially music." She got serious a moment and said "Michael it is not a pity date at all. I think it is really cool that you even asked me. I am sure there is more than one girl at Madison Prep that would be interested in going with you. You know…a lot of girls have that whole…attracted to bad boy things. I am glad that you asked me and I am happy to go with you. I think we will have a lot of fun."

Michael laughed and said "Bad boy? So what about you Rose? Are you into bad boys?"

Rose laughed and said "I am into nice guys that have a little bad boy in them and…I think that is you Michael."

"So then you like me?" asked Michael teasingly. He was sort of serious though he wanted to know if she was into him.

Rose laughed softly and said "I thought that would have been obvious when I showed up to baseball try-outs to watch you. Yes, I like you Michael Corinthos III but don't let it go to your head."

Michael chuckled and said "I wouldn't dream of it…I like you too you know…a lot…." Michael heard the elevator coming up to Dante's place. He held back a groan knowing he needed to get off of the phone because there would be no privacy if Dante and Lulu were coming home.

Rose smiled and said "Well, I like you a lot too Michael. I think you are sweet and cute."

Michael laughed a little and said "You think that I am cute? Well, you are cute too…well kind of hot actually. Well, it is kind of late I know you said that your family goes to church on Sunday mornings so I should let you go. But I will see you tomorrow to work on our project." Michael frowned seeing Dante and Lulu walking into the loft. They both stopped watching Michael on the phone.

She laughed when he said she was hot. Rose glanced over at the clock on her nightstand. "You are right I probably should get some sleep. I will see you tomorrow evening. Bye Michael."

"Goodnight Rose." said Michael. He ended the call and set his phone on the end table next to the couch.

Dante smiled and said "Hi Michael…is that your friend that was here the other night working on homework?"

Michael nodded and said "Uh yeah….yeah it was." Michael feigned a yawn and said "I am really tired you guys. I think I am just going to go to sleep."

Lulu snickered and said "Night Michael."


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Michael was up bright and early and he left the loft before Dante or Lulu could wake up for the day. He went for a long jog needing to clear his head of some things. After he finished jogging he went back to the loft to get a shower and get dressed for the dat. Michael used his key and walked into the loft.

Dante looked up from the couch and said "Hey Michael. You got out of her early this morning. Everything okay? I was wondering where you had gone. I wanted to talk to you about some things."

Michael said "Oh yeah…I wanted to get some exercise in before I got started with my day. I figured jogging would be a good way to do that. You need to talk to me? About what Dante?" Michael had a seat in the chair and looked over at Dante curiously.

"Exercise is good…helps you stay in shape. Maybe I can go running with you some time. I wanted to talk to you about your medical condition…is everything okay? You never really talked to me about what is going on. I am not trying to be…nosey or anything like that. I am just worried about you." said Dante looking at his younger brother with a look of concern on his face.

"Dr. Drake thinks that I am going to be okay. I have some swelling on the brain…but it'll get better with the antibiotics I am taking. And that should stop the seizures. I am sorry for not talking to you about it…I just sort of forgot. After having to have that talk with my mom and dad…it was just sort of…heavy." said Michael.

Dante nodded and said "I understand that…you've met my mother…she loves me to the point of suffocation at times. I just want to let you know that you can always tell me anything. I won't go running to your parents. I know I haven't been a great brother to you…lying to you about who I was in the beginning…and then getting you sent to prison…but I do want to be a good brother to you."

"Dante…I understand why you lied to me…you were a cop and that was your job…everyone has a job to do…even if we don't like that job. My dad has job too…" said Michael leaving that hanging in the air. "And you didn't get me sent to prison…I did that. I could have kept my mouth shut…no one would have figured out the truth…and even if they had no one had any proof except for me. I sent myself to prison…not you. You helped me get back out and I appreciate that. Because for all for all of the power my dad has…he couldn't get me out of prison. I don't resent for what happened to me." said Michael.

"What did happen to you? You need to talk to someone about it. If you don't it will eat you up inside and that isn't what you want. You want to be able to move on with your life and have the future that you should have had." said Dante.

Michael smiled at Dante and said "My future…is forever changed. And the sooner that everyone else realizes that the better it will be for me. I will not be a lawyer or a judge or a doctor. All of those professions are out of my reach. And trying to convince me that they are still within reach is foolish or just mean-spirited. I have a future and it is out there for me. I just have to find it. But I appreciate you supporting me while I do. I need to get a shower I reek." Michael got up and grabbed his outfit for the day and then went into the bathroom getting a long hot shower. He shampooed his hair as he stood under the shower head and actually smiled to himself. He felt good. It felt good standing up to everyone and letting them know that he had a brain in his head and he had his own ideas about what his life should be. Michael finished his shower and dressed in a pair of dark denim jeans and a black long sleeve button up shirt. He walked out of the bathroom and put on his shoes.

Dante looked at him and said "I am sorry for trying to push you into talking about what happened to you. It is your own private business. I just know how holding things in can hurt you…you end up never letting them go. You are my little brother and I worry about you. I just want you to be safe and happy. I want you to have a good future. And I worry that I ruined that because of my arrogance…when I walked you into court that day."

"You can't keep feeling guilty about it. It is in the past now. I am out of prison and I am starting to get back to a normal life. I might even have a sort of kind of girlfriend…I mean...life is good even if I am carrying around baggage. But I always will." said Michael.

"A girlfriend?" asked Dante with a smile. "Is it the girl that was here the other night? She seems nice." said Dante. He was happy that Michael was attempting to live a normal life. He smiled and said "if you ever need any girl advice you can always come to me…I am sooth with the ladies."

Michael laughed and said "yeah, I see how you are with my cousin Lulu…I don't need any tips from you." He chuckled to let Dante know he was only joking. "I don't need any advice right now but thank you for letting me know that I could come to you if I do. She is a great girl…we are going to go to the dance together…I don't…actually know how to dance but…you know I will figure it out. I should get going."

"Where are you headed? Do you need a ride?" asked Dante getting up and walking over to Michael. Dante was thinking if heading out himself. He wanted to go check up on Brenda even though he didn't want to all at the same time.

"I am going to go over and visit my mom. I'll probably be gone all day. She's been sort of upset since Friday. Then later on I am working on a school project with my friend Rose. I don't need a ride. It is a nice day I think I am just going to walk." Michael pulled on his backpack and said "See you later."

Michael arrived at Carly's house and walked into the house closing the door behind him. "Mom?" asked Michael as he walked into the living room. He smiled seeing Carly sitting on the floor playing with Josslyn. He walked over and had a seat on the floor with the two of them. "Hi Joss." said Michael tickling his younger sister's belly eliciting a giggle from the baby.

Carly smiled and said "Hi Michael. I am glad that you are here. How are you doing?" Carly had been worried about Michael since Friday at the hospital. It had taken every shred of restraint she possessed to stop her from going over to Dante's loft to see Michael and talk to him. But she tried to remember the conversation that she had with Sonny. Sonny reminded her to Michael was her son with her traits and if she tried to push too much he would rebel. That was the last thing that she wanted. "Josslyn has missed you. Would you like to hold her?" asked Carly smiling as Josslyn reached for Michael. She smiled a little and said "I have missed you too Michael. I know that…I wasn't my best Friday. I sort of panicked."

Michael smiled and said "I am doing really good. I have been taking my medicine like Dr. Drake told me to. Listen...I want to say I am sorry if I hurt you with what I said and did at the hospital. I would never want to hurt you mom. I know that more than anything you love me and you just want the best for me. But...you have to remember that I am an adult now. I know that is hard for you because you still look at me as your baby...but I am not a baby anymore." Michael nodded and said "I'd love to hold Josslyn." He smiled and picked up Josslyn.

"I know you aren't a baby and it kills me. It makes me wonder where the time went. I remember when I could fix anything that went wrong in your life. When you were born…you were the first…best thing that ever happened in my life. You made me want to be a better person because I wanted to be such a good mother to you. And now I look at you all grown up and I see you hurting and I see you in pain and I know that my choices…the decisions I made for you…are the cause of your pains. And the guilt eats me up inside. I go over in my head everyday…what if I had let A.J. be your father…how would your life be different…and it haunts me at night. But you are growing up and you are making your own decisions and…logically I knew that was going to happen at some point…it just feels too soon. I just want more time with you." said Carly.

Michael said "You are the best mother that I could have hoped for and I don't second guess any of the decisions you have made for me because I know you made all of them with my best interest at heart. My life might have been different as a Quartermaine or I could have just been living in a different kind of hell. Look at what being a Quartermaine did to A.J….look what it did to Jason. Even Alan was an alcoholic…Monica battled addiction too. Everything isn't exactly coming up roses over at casa de Quartermaine. I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I love dad…I love my brothers and sisters. I love being Michael Corinthos III even though bad things come with it."

Carly smiled softly looking at her son seeing him for the young man that he truly was. "As a parent you never get over the guilt…of doing anything to cause your child pain. Somehow even as a child you've always managed to be the adult when your father and I couldn't manage to be. You've had more responsibility on you than anyone your age should ever have had."

"I know you see it as a bad thing but I try to look at it as a positive thing…I look at it this way…I've been through some of the worst things that could happen to anyone…but I am still here. I am still alive and that just lets me know that anything that comes my way in life…I can handle it. You being my mom has helped make me stronger." said Michael.

Carly smiled at him and then chuckled. "I love you Michael. And if you ever need anything…don't think you are too old to come and ask for help. No matter how old you get…there is nothing wrong with coming to mom for advice. I go to my mom when I need sensible advice."

Michael laughed and said "I will come to you if I need anything. You have my word. So I had dinner with dad and everyone last night. It was really nice. It was like being part of a family again."

"I know it is hard on you not seeing your father. But your probation will be over soon enough and then you can see him when you want. I know Sonny will be glad of that to. Your dad really loves you a lot. I know some things it might get lost in translation but he does." said Carly.

"I know he does….I just hate that sometimes he treats me like a kid too. But I don't know last night we had a really good conversation about things. I was honest about how I felt…I could tell it sort of hurt him but…it was good to get it off of my chest." said Michael. He wasn't going to tell her what it was about it would just give Carly ammo for a tirade against Dante.

"That is great…Sonny needs to know how you are feeling. We both do that way we can do a better job of being your parents and giving you what you need. Jax will be back home tonight. Why don't you stay for dinner." said Carly.

"Oh I would but I have to work on a school project with my friend Rose tonight. But I can hang out here all afternoon with you and Joss. That is why I came over so that I could spend time with both of you and Morgan if he is here." said Michael laughing.

"Oh well…then maybe some time this week you could come over for dinner. Morgan is over at Alexis' house. He is spending the afternoon with Molly. I am sure they are driving Alexis crazy. I am glad to hear that you are taking your school work seriously. But then you've always been a bright boy. Too smart for your own good in certain instances." said Carly.

He smiled and said "Well, I want to do a good job. It is a lot of pressure knowing that dad and Jax kicked in some much money to get me into the school. I don't want to let any of you down. I tried out for the baseball team. I should know if I made it or not Monday afternoon. I am hoping that I do…it would be good to help me feel more normal. My friend Rose suggested I look at some other extracurricular activities too. And I guess she is right colleges like those sorts of things."

"I hope you make the team honey. I know how much you love baseball. It is like an obsession with you, Morgan, and Sonny. Of course if you make the team you do know that I will have to come to your games and cheer loudly to embarrass you." said Carly with a smirk. "Well, she is right you need more activities than just baseball what else are you interested it?"

Michael laughed. "Yes, I am well aware of that and I don't mind. It will be good to have somebody cheering for me. I am not exactly popular in school. The try-outs were tough it was obvious some of the guys didn't want me there. But it was nice when I was walking off the field Rose was there. She had come out to watch me try-out. She's really been a good friend. If I am going to be an outcast…I think I like being an outcast with her. Well, I was thinking of maybe Spanish club…maybe even drama. Do you think any of my tuxedos will fit me?"

"I don't think so…you've grown a couple of inches. Why do you need a tuxedo?" asked Carly curiously.

"Well, I was wondering if maybe we could go shopping for one. I don't know anything about what to buy anyway. When I was over for dinner last night Krissy asked if I would tag along to the dance with her and Taylor. But I didn't want to go as a third wheel so I asked Rose if she'd go to the back to school dance with me on Friday. It is a formal dance so I need a tuxedo." said Michael.

Carly smiled and said "Oh wow. I can't believe how much you are growing up. I would love to take you tuxedo shopping. Do you want to go Monday after school?"

"No, I can't go Monday. Jason is taking me car shopping for dad. It is sort of my reward for going back to Madison and all of that. It'll be nice to have a car to drive Rose to the dance in. Lately she has been giving me rides when we go somewhere. But any other day I think I have time." said Michael.

"Okay then we will go Tuesday afternoon to pick out a tuxedo for you. So you haven't told me very much about this girl. How did you meet her?" asked Carly.

"Well….I was sort of sitting by myself at lunch and she came over and sat with me. She is new to Port Charles…and her family has a dubious past too…so we sort of just clicked. Talking to dad last night I found out that she and I met each other when we were younger. I don't know she…she just understands me you know. She understands certain things about me without me even having to explain anything to her. She just…gets it. And the stuff she doesn't understand…she doesn't push me about…she just…I don't know cares if I am okay or not. So we've been hanging out a lot…partly because of the class project but mostly because I really like spending time with her. She is smart and funny…and kind of quirky. She is the only girl in her family….she plays volleyball. In fact I am supposed to watch her try out tomorrow night."

"Well….she sounds like a quite the young lady. I'd love to meet her under better circumstances…things were very hectic at the hospital Friday." said Carly.

"Uh…sure we hang out a lot maybe we could stop by the MetroCourt sometime this week to see you. Anyway…thank you for agreeing to take me shopping for the tuxedo. I want to make a good impression on her Friday night. Should I get her flowers or something too? I mean is that corny or not?" said Michael.

"I don't think flowers are corny at all." said Carly. She smiled realizing just how smitten Michael was with this girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Michael walked up Rose's house with his backpack slung over his shoulder. Michael was nervous about meeting with Rose at her house. He wondered what her family would have to say about his presence. Rose had told him that her father was on the up and up. He worried that he wouldn't want an ex-con hanging around his daughter. Michael was thinking about just turning around and leaving but he knew he couldn't do that either. He decided to suck it up and rang the doorbell. Michael stepped back taking in the facade of the palatial pad. .

Rose had been waiting on Michael to show up. She flipped through a magazine while she waited for him. She tried to be calm and nonchalant but she was more than a little nervous. When the doorbell rang she nearly dropped her magazine. Rose set the magazine down on the coffee table and smoothed down her denim skirt. Rose walked to the door and looked out of the peephole. She smiled seeing Michael and opened the door. "Hi Michael. Come in." Rose moved out of the way to let Michael into the house. She closed the door behind him and made sure that it was locked.

Michael smiled and said "Hi...I hope I am not late. I walked over here so it took me awhile but the walk gave me a couple of really great ideas for our project." Michael looked around at the stylishly decorated entry room as they walked into the living room. "Your house is beautiful Rose." said Michael.

"I didn't know you had to walk over here Michael. I wish you would have told me I could have just picked you up. I know it can't be easy walking around everywhere you have to go." said Rose shaking her head. "Oh thank you. My mother hired a interior decorator to make the place feel like home. My mother doesn't really have time for decorating. Can I get you anything to drink or eat?"

Michael laughed and said "Oh it is cool. My mother offered to give me a ride over here but I like walking sometimes. It helps me clear my mind. I think a lot more clearly when I am by myself and I don't have to be bothered with other people. I love my family but they can be smothering sometimes. But after tomorrow I should have my own car again. My uncle Jason is taking me car shopping since my dad isn't allowed to see me." He laughed and said "That sounds like my mother. She is so busy with the hotel that she doesn't have a lot of time for much else around the house. Sure a bottle of water would be great."

Rose smiled and said "Come on let's go into the kitchen and you can tell me all about the ideas you came up with. I came up with a couple of ideas too." Rose walked with Michael into the kitchen and walked over to the refrigerator grabbing two bottles of water and walking over to the island. "Well, I guess that I can understand the needing peace and quiet. You don't have any privacy over at Dante's loft. I would go crazy if I didn't have some sort of privacy. It is hard getting peace and quiet here. My brother Mateo and his wife Raina live here with their kids Tony, Danny, and Ricky. Not to mention my younger brother Xavier. Which is why my parents gave me my own space so I wouldn't feel confined. Speaking of which why don't we head to my room to work on our project. That is awesome that you are getting a car Michael...but I am really sorry that you can't see your dad whenever you want to..."

"Thanks for the water. Wow...that is a lot of people to share a house with, especially the little kids. My brother Morgan used to drive me crazy when he was younger. Sure let's get started on the project." said Michael. He followed Rose out of the kitchen and out of a large set of French doors. They walked along a well lit flagstone path way to a pool house.

Rose opened the door and walked into the pool house.

A woman in her 40's walked out into the living room. "Ms. Rose do you need me anymore tonight?" asked the woman.

Rose shook her head and said "No. Thank you Mia." Rose turned her attention to Michael. "That was the nanny for the kids; she helps out by watching them sometimes. And this is what I call home. My parents let me take the pool house so that I could have some privacy. It was too small for Mateo and his family or they probably would have ended up out here. But it is just big enough for Nicolas, Roman, and me." The pool house had a living room, small efficiency kitchen, two bedrooms, a small laundry area, and two bathrooms.

"Now this is a set up that I would love to have at my mom or dad's house. It would be nice to have somewhere that I can go to be by myself. You have a really nice place here Rose. To be honest I can't wait until I graduate so that I can just get a job and get an apartment of my own. Living with Dante isn't bad I just need space. It is hard always feeling like I am intruding when Lulu comes over to spend time with Dante. I always feel like I am in the way even though they both tell me that I am not." said Michael.

"Thank you. I was really lucky that my parents let me move out here. It has been really good for me. I can go into the main house and be a part of the fray when I want to but at the same time I can be out here and have some time to myself or just spend some quality time with my children. That is really important to me. I want my sons to always be a priority in my life. It'd be easy enough to let my parents raise them or to let a nanny raise them…but I want them to grow up knowing that I am their mom and that I love them more than life itself." said Rose. Rose grabbed her laptop and walked over to the couch and had a seat. "We can set up over here." said Rose. "So tell me about this idea you had for the project?"

"You are a good mother Rose…you remind me of my mom. There is nothing that she wouldn't do for her children…and that sometimes gets her into a lot of trouble, but it is nice to know that no matter what happens if I ever need anything I know that I can count on her to make that happen for me. I think she is headed for trouble right now…I don't know how to stop her though." said Michael. "Where are the little guys anyway? You said that one of them was sick, right?" asked Michael. He opened his backpack and took out a folder with printed pages sticking out of it. "I did a lot of research I have a couple of ideas on how to set up the slides for our presentation." He showed her the lay out ideas.

"Thank you Michael and you are right I would do anything for them. They are both in their rooms. I put them down for bed earlier and asked Mia to look after them. Trouble? What kind of trouble or is that too personal for me to ask you?" said Rose. She didn't want to violate any boundaries.

Michael shook his head and said "My mother blames my brother Dante for me going to jail…and if anyone hurts any of my mom's kids…she sort of goes into attack mode and nothing anyone says is going to stop her. Seriously…her watching Dante walk around happy drives her crazy. I just don't want her to do something crazy that could get her in trouble or that might actually hurt Dante. She hates him because…he used my brother Morgan to find out my location on one of my dad's islands and he brought me back to testify against my father. What he didn't realize was that I wasn't sent away so that I wouldn't have to testify against my father. They sent me away so that I wouldn't confess to the murder of my step-mother. So I told Dante the truth but he didn't really believe me. But I had kept my shirt from the night that I killed her. He had it tested and realized that I was telling the truth...so he interrupted my dad's trial when the verdict was about to be given and told the court that I did it. He thought I'd get a suspended sentence or probation…but instead I got sentenced to prison for two to five years. If prison wasn't bad enough…my dad had a lot of enemies guards and prisoners that were looking to take their pound of flesh from me. "

"Wow…I have to say though she has every right to be pissed. And I would be too. Whether he meant to hurt you or not…he is directly responsible for you going to prison. And he can say that it was the cover-up but that is crap. The trial was nearly over he threw you to the wolves. My brothers would die to protect me because that is what family does…you never go against the family." said Rose. She laughed softly and said "Sorry…now I am starting to sound like the godfather. I just…I think about my own little brother, Xavier, there is no way I would ever turn him over to the court, I'd rather do the time for him than to let my brother suffer a day in prison." said Rose.

"It is hard for Dante because he is a cop and he believes in the system. He really didn't think it would hurt me and he felt bad that I got locked up. He still does…we were just talking about it this morning. I don't think he will ever get over the guilt. He just wanted me to be able to live a happy and safe life away from my dad's business…and he felt like if the cover-up was successful I'd never respect the law." said Michael.

"I guess I can see that…when you believe in something it is hard to see all sides of it. Well, did his plan work? How do you feel about the law now?" asked Rose curiously.

Michael said "It didn't change the way I feel about the law or about my dad's business. I still want in…going to prison didn't change that. Nothing is going to change that." Michael cleared his throat. "We should start working on this project."

Michael and Rose worked on the project for nearly three hours before it was basically complete. Michael said "I can't believe we finished it all in one meeting. I guess it helps that we both had worked on the research before now. All we really need to do now is proof read it and make sure all of the slides are in order. We make a great team."

Rose smiled and said "Yeah we do make a really great team." Rose kicked her shoes off and curled them under her on the couch. "I am exhausted. Roman was cranky all last night because of his cold. Actually, I think I am going to go and check on him and Nicolas. I'll be back soon. Help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen." Rose got up from the couch and walked to the boys' bedroom. She walked in and walked over to their beds she smiled seeing that Roman was fast asleep but Nicolas was laying in his bed wide awake. She chuckled softly and lifted him up. "You aren't sleepy huh?" asked Rose in a comforting voice she rocked her son. Rose had a seat in the glider that was in the room.

Michael sat in the living room waiting for Rose to come back but when she was gone for awhile he wondered if her sons were okay. He got up from the couch and walked to the bedroom door. "Rose?" asked Michael in a quiet voice. He smiled seeing her sitting in the glider holding Nicolas. Nicolas' eyes were heavy and he was definitely on his way to sleep.

Rose smiled at Michael and said "I'm sorry...I was I was trying to get Nicolas to go back to sleep." Rose chuckled a little and stood up from the glider still holding Nicolas. She walked over to his bed and laid him down. She tucked him in and kissed the top of his head. Rose turned out the lamp in the room and headed over to Michael.

"You have cute kids." said Michael with a smile.

Rose laughed softly and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Michael. Do you have to leave now? Or can you hang out with me for awhile?" asked Rose.

"My curfew isn't for awhile. I can stay here and hang out with you. What do you want to do?" asked Michael looking into her eyes for a moment.

"We could have a sundae and just talk if that is okay with you? I really like talking to you." said Rose.

Michael smiled and said "I'd really like that Rose."

Rose walked into the kitchen and started making sundaes for both of them. "What do you want on yours?" asked Rose setting the toppings on the island so he could choose what he wanted. After they finished their sundaes hey walked back into the living room and sat on the couch together.

Michael said "Oh…so I talked to my sister earlier…and she and Taylor want to go out to dinner at the MetroCourt before the dance is that okay with you? I told her that I'd have to check with you first."

Rose ate a few bites from her sundae and nodded. "Sure that is fine with me. Just tell me what time I need to be ready and I will be. I've got to find a dress for the dance. I am really excited that you asked me Michael. I didn't think that I was going to go. It is kinda boring to go to a dance alone."

"I am really glad that you accepted I didn't want to go as a third wheel for Krissy and Taylor. The dance starts at 8:00 I was thinking I'd pick you up at 7:00 and then we can head over to MetroCourt. For dinner we will probably get to the dance late but who wants be there on time anyway?" asked Michael.

Rose laughed and said "You have a point there everyone is usually just milling around for the first hour of the dance anyway. So do you dance?"

Michael laughed and shook his head. "Uh no…I do not dance. But I look really cool standing in one place." He ate his sundae.

"Oh come on Michael. We can't go to a dance and just stand around like we are too cool to dance. We will be one of the cutest couples there." said Rose confidently. "Come on I will teach you a couple of dance steps." Rose set her bowl on the coffee table and hopped off of the couch. She grabbed the remote for her stereo and turned it on low. She smiled and said "See this is a great song Katy Perry's Teenage Dream…" Rose started dancing by herself. She extended her hand to Michael. "Come on Michael. Don't make me dance by myself."

Michael smirked looking at her and said "Rose I don't dance well…I look like I am having a seizure. I am going to embarrass you at this dance."

"Like I care about what anyone else thinks of me?" asked Rose looking at him seriously. "I care about what you think about me…don't you think I am cute enough to dance with?" asked Rose pouting playfully.

Michael laughed and said "Okay okay but the lip away but don't say I didn't warn you." Michael stood up from the couch after setting his bowl down. He started dancing with Rose and he was completely out of sync with the beat. He laughed and said "I am awful I told you."

Rose smiled and put her hands on his hips helping him move to the beat. "Come on Michael you can do this. Besides I think you look cute." said Rose moving to the beat with him.

Michael laughed and said "You think me not being able to dace is cute?" He laughed and started relaxing more which made his dancing improve.

"See you aren't as bad as you think that you are." said Rose. "Let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans." sang Rose as they danced together as the song ended.

Michael laughed and said "Maybe I just never had the right inspiration." Michael tried to sit down as Bruno Mars' Just the Way You Are started playing.

Rose grabbed his hand and said "We are not done yet. I love this song." Rose danced with Michael smiling.

Michael watched her dancing and tried to follow her lead. He smiled watching her thinking that she looked incredibly beautiful at the moment. Michael and Rose dance for a long time to a couple of different songs before a slow song came on. Michael was afraid of being quite that close to Rose be moved back and said "I am tired now. I haven't danced that long in a long time."

"Come on Michael…this is the first slow song that has come on the radio. Dance with me please." said Rose taking his hand and pulling him toward her.

Michael flashed back to Carter grabbing him. "Get your hands off of me!" growled Michael shoving Rose so hard that she fell back onto the floor with a thud. As soon as she hit the floor Michael panicked. "Rose! I'm sorry…I….are you okay?"

Rose sat on the floor stunned for a minute. She got back up and said "Michael it's okay….I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. You didn't want to slow dance and that is okay."

Michael touched her cheek. "I am so sorry please don't apologize to me…I…did I hurt you?" Michael said "I've been so worried about freaking out and I finally did I…I've got to go." Michael grabbed his book bag and ran out of the pool house.

"Michael! Michael!" yelled Rose but he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I want to thank everyone for the reviews. Knowing that you guys are enjoying my work inspires me to write more. So please keep those reviews coming. I want to know what you think and if you have any ideas for the story. For the person who asked about a picture for Rose I am still working on it but it will be coming soon!

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Michael walked along the dark streets of Port Charles toward Dante's loft. He went over the scene again and again in his head. His mind kept replaying Rose hitting the floor with an audible thud and the more Michael thought about it the more he felt like an absolute monster. His worst fears had just been realized in a very real way. He couldn't imagine that Rose would ever want to lay eyes on him again after what he did. He had never believed in hurting women and to him this was the worst thing he could ever do. He had already choked Lulu once when he woke up from his sleep, but there were no excuses this time…he was wide awake and he knew what he was doing when he did it. Michael started to walk around aimlessly. The last thing he wanted to do was go home and have to answer questions from Dante. Dante was always worried about Michael which wasn't a bad thing but at the moment he needed silence.

As Michael walked he started thinking about what happened with Carter and a cold chill ran down his spine but at the same time anger filled his body. He wanted to destroy something...someone. Michael punched the side of a brick apartment building harder than he had intended. Pain shot through his hand and that snapped him out of his haze. He looked at his bloody knuckles and groaned. "Damn it!" muttered Michael angrily. Michael flexed his fingers hoping that he hadn't broken anything. He sighed in relief when he realized that nothing was broken. He realized that he needed to talk to someone or he might seriously hurt the next person he came across. Michael walked to Jason's penthouse. He got on the elevator heading up to the penthouse. He kept thinking about the look of fear on Rose's face. He felt his anger building again but the ding of the elevator snapped him out of it. Michael got off of the elevator and walked up to Jason's door and knocked.

Spinelli opened the door with a bottle of orange soda in his hand. "Young Mr. Sir...is Jason expecting you?" asked Spinelli letting Michael into the penthouse. Spinelli closed down his laptop so that Michael couldn't see what he had been researching. Spinelli had been hard at work attempting to locate the Balkan.

"Uh...no he isn't Spinelli...but I really need to see him...is he here?" asked Michael. He felt jittery and light headed at the moment. He felt like he could hear his heart beating in his ears. Michael took off his backpack and sat it in the center of the floor. Michael paced the floor a little.

Spinelli observed the dazed state that Michael was in as well as his bloody knuckles and knew the young man was in dire need. "I'll go and get Stone Cold...please wait right here." Spinelli bounded the stairs two at a time to reach Jason's bedroom. Spinelli knocked on the door. "Stone Cold! Stone Cold! You are needed immediately..." said Spinelli in a hushed yell through the bedroom door.

Jason groaned looking over at Sam. He kissed here and said "I am sure this won't take long. I'll get rid of him." This was their only time to be alone lately. His penthouse always seemed to have people in it now. Brenda was sleeping in her old room. Spinelli was usually camped out in the living room. Max and Milo were usually there guarding the penthouse. Jason got out of the bed wearing a pair of black pajama bottoms. He walked over to the door and opened it only a sliver. "What is it Spinelli?"

"I am sorry to disturb you Stone Cold and the Fair Samantha...but this is of the utmost importance. Young Mr. Sir is in need of your most wise counsel. He is downstairs waiting for you." said Spinelli with urgency in his voice. "He appears to have injured himself in some way." said Spinelli.

Jason said "Michael's here?" "Tell him I will be down there in a minute. And find the first aid kit in case I need it." Jason closed the door and walked over to the bed. He lightly kissed Sam's cheek. "Michael is downstairs and needs to talk to me. I will be back up when I can."

Sam sat up in the bed room. "Do you want me to come with you Jason?" asked Sam knowing how worried Jason had been about Michael as of late. "Maybe I could be of some help."

Jason shook his head and said "No, I think I'd better handle this alone. But if I need you then I will come and get you." He kissed her again and then got up from the bed. Jason walked out of the bedroom closing the door behind him and walked downstairs.

Michael was pacing the floors looking out of the window. He kept flexing his fingers the pain was the only thing stopping him from losing touch with reality completely at the moment. He didn't want to think about Carter but that was the only thing on his mind.

Jason walked over to Michel but kept a small distance as not to startle his nephew. "Michael?" asked Jason in a concerned voice. Jason spotted Michael's bleeding knuckles. Jason looked at Spinelli and said "Give us the room Spinelli..."

"Of course Stone Cold. The first aid kit is sitting on the coffee table." said Spinelli picked up his laptop and his orange soda and shuffled into the kitchen to give Jason and Michael some much needed privacy.

"Do you want to tell me what is going on Michael?" asked Jason in a calm voice. He looked at Michael trying to see any other tell-tale signs of a fight but all he saw was Michael's busted up hand. Jason wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing at the moment.

Michael looked at Jason and felt tears in his eyes. "I really messed up Jason...I...I don't know what to do. I messed up...I messed up...I'm never going to be normal again." Michael started pacing more. "I just...I want to be a normal person...but I can't because I am a freak! And I..." Michael growled and punched the wall next to him leaving a fist sized hole in Jason's wall. Michael stared at the hole. "Jason...I...I am really sorry I... I should go." said Michael turning to leave.

Jason forcefully said "Hey!" "Michael I need you to calm down and tell me what is wrong. I don't care about a wall. I've punched walls in here more than once...forget about it. I want you to talk to me about what is wrong. Come on...sit down." Jason motioned to the couch that currently had pink satin throw pillows adorning it because of Spinelli's need to impress Brenda.

Michael knew that he needed to talk to someone and Jason was one of the only people that could truly understand what it was that Michael was going through. Michael had a seat on the couch. He flexed his fingers feeling the pain shoot through his hand. He grimaced slightly and stared at a random spot on the floor not really sure where to start.

"Start from the beginning and tell me what happened..." said Jason having a seat on the couch. He was concerned for his nephew but he was glad that Michael had come there to him. He could see how on edge he was and that could be a dangerous situation.

"I was over at my friend Rose's house...we were working on our class project together. After we finished it...she asked me to hang out a little longer. Which was cool because…I mean I really like her. And I asked her to the dance and she agreed to go with me…everything was going really good. Anyway we sort of started dancing which was okay...but then a slow song came on...and I didn't really want to be that close to her because...it makes me think about...Carter." said Michael. It took a lot for him to even utter Carter's name. "And...she pulled me to her and I freaked out and I shoved her...she fell and..." Michael just stopped talking he kept flexing his hand.

Jason's heart broke a little listening to Michael talk. He knew the struggles the kid was going through and Jason couldn't help but feel like it was his fault. Jason asked "Was Rose okay?"

Michael nodded and said "She was okay...she got up and tried to tell me that it was okay and she started blaming herself for me freaking out...I couldn't handle it...I took off after telling her I was sorry. I really liked her and I messed up so bad...she has been so nice to me and then I...I shoved her...and she says that it is okay...but I saw the fear in her eyes when she hit the floor. I'm a monster."

"You are not a monster Michael. You didn't mean to hurt her and it sounds like you didn't. She was probably just startled." Jason said "What happened to your hand?" Jason was concerned that perhaps Michael had beaten someone up on his way there.

Michael looked down at his hands and said "I punched a brick wall...it is okay my hand isn't broken or anything...just hurts a lot. I just needed to hit something. I had all of this anger and I needed somewhere to release it."

Jason was relieved at that. "Michael, I know that you are upset about this but you just need to give yourself time. All of this is new to you; you've never really dated anyone before. So you are trying to figure out that...and trying to figure out who you are after being in prison. Being in prison changed you in some ways...but it is up to you how you use those changes in your life. You aren't just angry...you are scared...and someone that is scared is dangerous...you've got to learn how to harness all of that, I think maybe you and I should start working out together. I can teach you more moves and you can work off some of that rage."

"We aren't dating she's just a friend..." said Michael. "You think that would really work? Working out to get rid of my anger?"

Jason said "I may not know a lot of things but...the way you were talking about her the other night I got the feeling she was a little more than just your friend Michael." "It isn't getting rid of it...it is channeling it into something. So working out on the heavy bag will be good for you. You can slug it out without hurting anyone. I think you should do it every day and I can make time to work out with you every day. You and I can even box if you want to."

Michael thought about it for a minute. He knew that Jason was right. He needed to find a way to control himself or someone could end up getting hurt by his hands and he didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive himself for that. "Thank you Jason…I know that it is late and…I'm sorry."

Jason shook his head and hugged Michael. "Listen to me…you are my nephew and I love you. When you were a little baby I promised you that…you'd always be loved and that I would always take care of you. I changed your stinky diapers when you cried in the middle of the night…taking care of you now is easier…trust me." Jason smiled. Jas had a lot of guilt but he refused to show that to Michael. He knew Michael better than anyone else did and he knew that Michael went out of his way to make everything okay for everyone else. He wasn't about to make Michael have to be okay for him too.

Michael laughed and said "Can we not talk about me being in diapers? That isn't good at all. I'd like to forget any of that ever happened."

Jason laughed and said "Oh yeah it happened. I have a lot of memories of that. You are the best thing that ever happened to me kid. You are the first person that I learned that I could love unconditionally. And I am always going to be here to help you through the bad times and help celebrate the good times."

Michael smiled and hugged him again. "Thanks Jason…for everything that…you've always done for me…I know some people…doubt whether giving me to my dad was right choice…but I think you made the right choice…I would never trade the family that I have for anything in the world…not even season tickets to the Yankees."

Sam walked downstairs wearing Jason's robe. She had it tied extra tight. "Is everything okay Jason? Hi Michael." Sam walked further into the room and saw Michael's hand. She looked at his hands worriedly.

Jason nodded and said "Yeah...everything is fine... Michael...just needed to talk about some things." Jason didn't want to violate Michael's confidence he knew that Michael sort of wanted this part of his life to be private.

"He needs to get his hand cleaned and bandaged too." said Sam. She walked over having a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Do you mind?" asked Sam not wanting to touch Michael without his permission. "What happened?" asked Sam.

Michael nodded and said "Uh...okay I guess...it isn't that bad really..." He was sort of comfortable around Sam but not really all of the time. "I sort of got angry and punched a brick wall and then I punched the wall here...uh sorry about that again Jason."

Sam said "If you don't get it cleaned up the cuts and scrapes can get infected." Sam opened the first aid kit and started cleaning both of Michael's hands.

Jason said "I am going to go change so that I can give you a ride home Michael." Jason stood up from the couch and said "Thanks for patching Michael up Sam." Jason headed upstairs.

Sam finished cleaning and bandaging Michael's hands. "You'll need to keep these clean until they heal. Are you okay?"

Michael said "Thanks Sam." He stood up and grabbed his backpack. "Oh yeah...sure. I am fine." Michael walked over to the door and waited on Jason to return.

Jason came back down dressed in a pair of jeans and his iconic black shirt. Jason walked over to Sam. "I should be back soon." He kissed her softly. He walked out of the penthouse with Michael. "So do you think that you are going to be okay?"

Michael shrugged and said "I don't know...I really like Rose and I was supposed to watch her in the volleyball exhibition game tomorrow night but everything is weird now." Michael and Jason climbed into Jason's car and took off.

Jason said "Well, maybe you can try to talk to her tomorrow after school and see where the two of you stand. Until you talk to her...you don't really know what the situation is..."

"Well, we have to go shopping for my car tomorrow after class...I really need a car. Walking around is okay but...a car would be a lot better." said Michael laughing.

Jason chuckled and said "The dealership doesn't close until 5:00. I think we will be able to make it. So Carly told me that you stopped by the house to see her today. I am proud of you Michael. She was really excited about seeing you."

Michael said "Well, I decided that I should just talk to her. I love mom a lot and I didn't want her to think that I don't love her. I just have to get her to realize that I am not a little kid anymore. I had a great time at her house though. I spend some time with Joss too. She is getting so big."

"I haven't seen Josslyn very much lately. Protecting Brenda is a full time job. Even more so because your mother hates her and is jealous." said Jason laughing. "Not that Carly would ever admit to being jealous. There is just a lot of history there and the faster I can take care of Brenda's problems the faster I can get her back to Rome."

"Do you think Dad and Brenda are going to get back together?" asked Michael curiously. "He talks about here like she is his one great love or something...which is weird to hear I guess because I've always sort of believed that mom was his one great love...stupid of me huh?" asked Michael.

"I don't know...I never really know with the two of them. I know right now Brenda is under a lot of stress with this Balkan threat so she is wanting to keep her distance from Sonny and that is probably for the best. They might love one another but at the same time...they are bad for each other." "No...Michael it isn't stupid of you at all. Sonny and Carly love each other very much. No matter how mad they get at one another they can always depend on each other. But just because you love someone a lot doesn't mean that it works out in the long term."

"No, I definitely get that. I think they are better apart...they don't hurt each other that way...makes my life easier." said Michael. When they pulled up Michael saw a familiar SUV when Jason pulled up in front of the apartment building. Michael said "That looks like Rose's car..." Michael got out of the car and walked over to the car.

Jason said "I'll wait here..."

Rose rolled down her window. "I was wondering if you were ever going to come home Michael. I was really worried about you..." Rose got out of the car and asked "Are you okay?" She looked at his bandaged hands. "Michael! What happened to you? Did you get into a fight?" asked Rose gently touching his hand. She looked up at his face worriedly.

Michael said "You've been waiting here for me...for how long? I just needed to walk around for awhile." He winced a little when she touched his hand. "I uh...got into a fight with a brick wall...I think I might have lost." said Michael looking down at his hand. "And then I hit another wall in my Uncle Jason's apartment."

"I came over here after you left. I wanted to talk to you...about what happened...I wanted to let you know that I'm not angry with you. I shouldn't have tried to make you dance with me when you said that you didn't want to. I was just having a good time and I didn't want the night to end..." said Rose. She looked at his hand and then looked into his eyes. "You hit a brick wall?" asked Rose surprised.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about Rose. I am the one that shoved you and I am sorry that it happened." "You were worried that I'd want to leave? I didn't want to leave I just didn't want to slow dance... I wanted to spend more time with you...I like spending time with you Rose." Michael nodded and said "Yeah...I hit a wall..."

"That is so sexy. I bet you kicked that wall's ass!" said Rose laughing.

Michael laughed and said "Only you would say something like that." He caressed her cheek with his bandaged hand. "I was worried you'd never want to speak to me again. I really like you Rose and I like hanging out with you. And…I just don't want to mess things up between us because I am a freak."

Rose smiled feeling his hand on her face. "I like you too Michael. You are the most...awesome guy that I've met in a really long time. I feel like I can be myself with you and you aren't going to judge me. You didn't make a big deal about me being a teenage mom." "You are not a freak Michael…" "I don't understand everything….but I care about you and I am willing to take my time getting to know you. I am just trying to understand you and you don't have to tell me anything you don't want me to know. Just know that I am here…and I care."

"I like you Rose…but I am going to have some good days and I am going to have some bad days...sometimes…I lash out at unexpected things…I never know what is going to set me off and sometimes I just react and I can't stop myself. When I went to prison…I was a target…not just because I was young but because Sonny Corinthos is my father. It wasn't just inmates that were out to get me…there were some guards out to get me too. My uncle Jason got himself sent to prison so that he could protect…but he also had to teach me how to fight so that I didn't end up being a victim. But now I don't know how to control it…so I am going to start working out with my uncle…learn how to control it. So I understand if…well if you'd rather not see me…..

Rose cut him off. "Michael, I still want to hang out with you. I still want to go out with you. We just need to have some boundaries. Like…I won't touch you unless you touch me first. I would never want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable." "Thank you for opening up and talking to me Michael…I know that it can't be easy…there is a lot of stuff that…I just don't want to talk about either."

Michael said "Boundaries…that sounds like a good idea…" He lightly brushed a strand of hair away from her face. He leaned in and kissed her. Michael wrapped his arms around her and leaned his forehead down onto her forehead. "I am sending you mixed signals aren't I?" asked Michael looking at her. It was easier for Michael when he was the one initiating contact.

Rose smiled and said "No…I don't think so…we set our first boundary…I let you make the first move right?" She asked "Is this okay?" She draped her arms over Michael's shoulders looking up into his eyes.

He smiled and said "Yes, that is okay." He leaned down and kissed her again. After the kiss Michael looked at her as if something had just occurred to him. "Uh…where are your kids?" asked Michael glancing at her car with his arms still around her.

"I left them with their nanny when I came over here. We have two live in nannies because we are always so busy. We never know when we might need a babysitter right away." She smiled. "Like tonight when I had to run after my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" asked Michael looking at her with almost a smirk.

Rose looked my embarrassed and smiled at him. "Well, you are a friend and you are a boy so….yeah."

Michael chuckled and said "I don't think that is what you meant. I think you mean boyfriend as in….date. But can I be your boyfriend if we've never been on a date?"

Rose chuckled and said "You aren't going to let me live that one down are you?" She laughed and buried her face against his chest to hide how embarrassed she was at the moment.

"Well, I suppose I could keep teasing you about it which would be fun because you are actually pretty cute when you are embarrassed. Or…I could ask you out on a date. So…will you go out with me tomorrow night after your exhibition game?" asked Michael.

"Hmmm…let me think about it…" said Rose teasingly. She laughed seeing the shocked expression on his face. "I am only kidding Michael. Of course I'd like to go out with you. Where are we going?"

Michael smiled at her and said "For a minute there I thought you were going to turn me down. Well, I can't tell you where we are going. It is going to be a surprise." In all honesty he hadn't figured out where yet.

"Okay then it is a date." said Rose. She smiled at him and said "I should probably get home. But I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Oh wait…I want to show you something." said Michael. He fished the picture of the two of them as kids out of his pocket. "I forgot to show you this picture earlier." said Michael. He showed it to her.

Rose looked at the picture and laughed. "I can't believe that I am pouring sand on you…well actually I guess I can believe that." She laughed more. "We were so cute back then…who knew that like 11 years later we'd be…standing here…together."

Michael said "It is crazy…I barely even remember you from then…but we were pretty young. Come on you better get home. I don't want your father to dislike me because I kept you out late. But…just one more kiss before you go…" He kissed her again this time a little more intensely than before. Afterward he smiled and opened her car door for her. "Goodnight Rose. Call me when you make it home…so that I know you made it there safely."

"Goodnight Michael. Sure I will call you." said Rose with a smile. She climbed into her car and Michael closed the door for her. She started up her car and drove off toward home.

Michael stood there in the street for a moment with a goofy smile on his face. He really did like this girl.

Jason had been sitting in his car waiting for Michael to go inside. He didn't realize that he would be sitting there for quite as long as he had been. Jason got out of his car and walked over to Michael. "I am going to assume that the girl was your friend Rose?"

Michael smiled at Jason and said "My girlfriend, Rose. I am taking her on a date tomorrow night to make it official. She wasn't mad at me or anything…she was actually pretty worried about me. And…we decided from now on…I'll be the one to uh…make the first move."

"Well, it looks like it all worked out okay. I am happy for you kid." said Jason. "Do you need anything or are you okay?" asked Jason.

"No…I'm great. I am going to head inside and get some sleep. You can go back home to Sam. Thanks for helping me out Jason. You are a great uncle….seriously." said Michael.

Jason said "You are a great nephew. Night." Jason walked back over to his car.

Michael walked into the building and up to Dante's loft.


	8. Chapter 8

Michael sat at a table in the courtyard attempting to eat lunch. So far today was a bad day and he only hoped that the last few hours of the school day would speed by at a merciful pace. Michael heard a chair at the table scrape across the flagstone courtyard. He glanced up from his meal and couldn't help but smile. "Hey...I was starting to think you weren't going to make it here before lunch ended." said Michael with a smile. Seeing Rose seemed to put him in a better mood lately.

Rose had a seat across from Michael setting her purse on the table. "My dentist appointment took longer than I thought it would. But I am here now...are you doing any better than you were earlier?" asked Rose with a concerned voice. She drank a little of her Sprite looking at Michael with concern. Earlier that morning Bryce had taken a swing at Michael but Michael had been the bigger man and walked away from that fight. She didn't know how many more fights Michael would be strong enough to walk away from.

"Let's see I've almost gotten into two fights today." said Michael laughing. "But so far no one has thrown a punch since Bryce did this morning. I don't know if I will be able to make it through the whole school day that way. Bryce and his buddies are angry that coach gave me the short-stop position on the team...me the felon...the murderer...the mobster's son...and I got it because I am a better player than he is...and it pisses him off." said Michael. "I am just glad that he hasn't started in on Krissy. The last thing she needs is anyone picking on her because of my drama. She is still trying to get away from the Keifer situation." He was quiet for a minute. "I don't want them to start in on you either..."

"I'm sorry Michael...I know it is hard to let all of this stuff roll off of your back. They are hateful but at the end of the day...you got onto the team because you are an awesome player. And they can't deny that as much as they might want to." said Rose. "You don't need to worry about me Michael. I know how to take care of myself. They can say whatever they like...I don't care...and if Bryce wants to get physical he can. I'll kick his ass and then I'll tell my brother and he'll kick his ass too."

Michael laughed and smirked at her. "A girl that can take care of herself...I like that." He reached across the table and took her hand. "I just know that it is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better. I am going to have to fight eventually...I know it...and I am going to get kicked out of school for it." said Michael laughing. He looked at her and asked "Will you still want to date a high school drop out?" Michael smirked at her.

Rose laughed softly and said "You are silly. But yes I'd want to date you...I would not care if you were a drop out. You are still cute and sweet. But come on...don't let them push you there. They are goading you...don't let them control you like that. They are the ones with the problem not you. You've got so many great things going for you Michael."

Michael smiled at her and said "Yeah...you are right. I am supposed to go car shopping with my Uncle Jason this afternoon. I hate that I can't go with my dad...I think this is the hardest part of parole. Not being able to have contact with my father. It is ridiculous...there are abusive parents out there that at least get visitation with their children...I just keep thinking back to...if I had kept my mouth shut...let the cover-up stand...my dad might have been found not guilty and none of this would be happening. All anyone is willing to see is that my dad is a criminal...not the fact that he is a good father that loves his kids."

"People looking in from the outside don't understand anything. They make these assumptions and they judge. But you know what your dad is really like. That is what you have to hold on to." said Rose. She hated seeing him so upset. "So...what sort of car are you thinking about buying?" asked Rose hoping the change of subject would cheer him up.

"I don't know...I think I really want a Jaguar...I did some research online looking at some of the models that I like." said Michael. "I know Jason is busy, I don't want to keep him away from what he needs to be doing for too long. So I sort of wanted to have an idea of what I wanted before we went to the dealership." said Michael.

"Oooh a Jag sounds nice..." said Rose with a grin. "So are we still on for our date tonight?" asked Rose. Rose reached over and stole a fry off of Michael's plate. "I hope you don't mind."

Michael said "We are definitely on for our date tonight. But I am not going to tell you where we are going. It is going to have to be a surprise. I think you are going to like it. So do you want me to pick you up from your house or are do you want to meet up here after your game?" "I don't mind at all. I am not really eating them anyway." said Michael nodding toward his plate of barely touched food.

Rose said "We can meet after the game. I can take a shower here and just change clothes in the locker room for our date. So I don't even get a hint about what we are doing tonight?" She picked up another fry from his plate eating it.

Michael chuckled and shook his head. "Nope...not even a little hint. But I think that you are going to like what I have planned. At least I hope you like it. And I will be coming to watch you play tonight."

Rose smiled and said "Michael you are so sweet. So tomorrow I am going dress shopping to find something for the dance Friday night. I am really excited that you asked me to the dance. I didn't think that I would go because I don't really know anyone here and going to a dance by yourself makes you look sort of...lonely."

Michael said "I am going tuxedo shopping tomorrow too. I am glad that you accepted. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather spend that time with. I hope you don't mind that we will be hanging out with my sister before the dance and during the dance."

"No, I don't mind at all. Kristina is one of the few people that have been nice to me here at Madison Prep. And her friend Taylor seems like a nice guy. Besides I think it is sweet that you are going to this dance to support your sister. It just shows me what a good guy you are...as if I didn't already know." said Rose with a smile.

Michael shrugged. "Krissy is my younger sister. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for her. She's had a hard time in her life...seems like it just gets harder for her over time. I just hate that there isn't more that I can do for her. But I am here helping her get through her last year of high school. Then she will be off to some Ivy League school where she can make her own future. She has a hard time dealing with what our dad does for a living. But then she didn't have the benefit of growing up with him the way I did."

Rose said "Ivy League? Wow...that is awesome. She will be able to do whatever she wants. Oh that has to be hard. I guess I am okay with my uncle's work because...I have a tilted moral compass I guess. But I grow up around it and it was normal...normal for my life anyway."

The bell rang and Michael frowned. "Well, looks like it is time to go to our last class of the day. This afternoon cannot be over with soon enough." Michael got up and threw away his lunch.

Rose got up and collected her purse and book bag. Rose followed Michael out of the courtyard and back into the building. "Well, Bryce can't be too much of a jerk during class...maybe it won't be so bad." said Rose. Rose said "You are awesome Michael and he is a loser."

Michael laughed and said "You give Bryce too much credit." They arrived at the classroom and headed inside.

As Michael was walking to his desk he nearly tripped over Bryce's outstretched leg. Michael grimaced and felt his hands ball up into fists. He shot Bryce a glare but bit his tongue. He stepped over Bryce's leg and walked to his desk. He had a seat and stared at the front of the classroom not looking in Bryce's direction.

Rose walked to her desk and had a seat. She cast a worried glance at Michael and hoped that Bryce would just lay off. A fight in class would surely get Michael kicked out of Madison without even a second thought.

As class got started the teacher started a lecture on the brain. Halfway through the lecture Bryce raised his hand. "So what would happen if someone was like...hit in the head with an ax handle...?" asked Bryce. He cast a glance back at Michael. Several guys laughed at Bryce's question. "But I guess I could always just ask you Michael...what happens when you hit a woman in the head with an ax handle...?"

Michael's face felt hot at the moment. He could feel the anger surging through his veins and all he could think about was clobbering Bryce right there and then.

The teacher frowned looking over his glasses. "That will be enough. Another question like that will earn you a demerit." said Mr. Barker in a stern voice.

The class settled down and continued on without incident. When the final bell of the day finally rang Michael got up from his desk and walked in the opposite direction of Bryce. He still wanted to pound that guy into the ground. Michael walked out of the classroom and waited on Rose.

Rose gathered her things and walked out of the classroom. Rose looked at Michael. "Are you okay?" asked Rose. Rose stood in front of him looking at him worriedly. "Do you want me to give you a ride home?" asked Rose.

Michael seemed to be dazed for a moment but he finally spoke. "Yeah...I am okay...let's get out of here. It'd be great if you could give me a ride to Jason's place." Michael took Rose's hand and the two of them walked out of the school and headed to the parking lot. As they arrived at Rose's car Michael spotted Kristina. He kissed Rose's cheek. "I am going to go talk to Krissy. I'll be right back."

Rose nodded and said "Okay. I'll be here."

Michael walked over to Kristina's car and said "Hey Krissy. I missed you at lunch today. How are you doing?"

Kristina smiled and said "I am doing good. Taylor and I were studying for our history test together. We had a test right after lunch. I think I did pretty well on the test. How are you doing?" Kristina had been with Michael that morning when Bryce and his friends started in on Michael.

"I'm fine. Bryce tried to start up again this afternoon but Mr. Barker shut him down pretty quick. So….. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay with us using dad's limo for the dance Friday night..." said Michael. He never knew what kind of mood Kristina would be in concerning their father. It was always best to tread lightly.

"Sure Michael. What time are we going to leave?" asked Kristina.

Taylor walked over and smiled. "Hi Michael. Congratulations on making the baseball team, man."

Michael said "Hi Taylor... Krissy and I were just talking about the dance Friday night. We are going to be using my dad's limo and I figured we'd leave around 8:00 and have dinner at Metro Court. We'd make it to the dance about 9:30. No one really wants to get to the dance on time."

Taylor nodded and said "That sounds cool. So are we doing anything after the dance?"

Michael shrugged and said "There are a lot of parties after the dance but I don't think I am going to be invited to any of them. But if you and Krissy want to hit a couple of the parties you two can take the limo. I will probably just hang out with Rose after the dance."

Krissy shook her head. "Michael, I am not bailing on you. The only reason you are even going to this stupid dance is because I didn't want to go without you. Why don't we just get a room at Metro Court after the dance and we can all hang out there. My friends: Ali, Kelly, Melanie, and Amber would probably want to come hang out. Is that okay with you Taylor?" She smiled at her brother. "You've been spending a lot of time with Rose lately...so...what's going on?" asked Kristina with a grin.

"Sure that sounds great to me. That way we aren't stuck at the dance if it is boring. Which it might be...everyone here seems so...stuck up. And the ones that aren't stuck up...are jerks." said Taylor laughing.

"Yeah there are a lot of jerks here. I didn't really realize it when I was with Keifer...his friends were jerks and so was he. I thought that they were my friends but..." said Kristina shaking her head. "So Michael...you never did answer my question...what's going on?"

He chuckled and said "Rose is my...girlfriend. We are going out on a date tonight." Michael said "I will book the room at Metro Court. I've got to get going you guys. I need to get over to Jason's. He is going to take me car shopping today. I'll talk to you later Krissy."

Kristina smiled and said "Wait! You can't just say that Rose is your girlfriend and take off! When did she become your girlfriend! When were you going to tell me?"

Michael laughed and said "Krissy...I've seriously got to go. I promise I was going to tell you today. I just got distracted with the whole Bryce thing. I'll talk to you about it tomorrow." Michael hugged her and smiled. Michael nodded at Taylor. "See you around man."

"I expect details tomorrow Michael!" said Kristina with a pretend huff.

Taylor laughed and said "See you around Michael."

Michael walked over to Rose's car and climbed in. He put on his seatbelt and said "Sorry about taking so long I was talking to Krissy and Taylor and they mentioned hanging out after the dance. Like I told them...I won't be invited to any parties but I could get a suite for us at Metro Court. Do you think you'd want to hang out after the dance?"

Rose started up the car and said "It is fine. I called to check on my boys. Roman is starting to get over his cold. My mom took Roman and Nicolas with her to Miami to visit my grandparents. They'll be gone for a couple of days. I am really going to miss them while they are gone. I wish I could have gone too but with school being in I didn't want to miss any days. I think a suite would be a lot of fun. It would be a boring to just leave the dance and call it a night."

"That is great. I am glad to hear that the little guy is starting to feel better. I am sure that they will miss you too." "Okay good. I will book the suite today just to make sure we have it. You never know other people might have come up with the same idea." said Michael. Michael gave her directions to Jason's penthouse.

Rose drove him there and pulled to a stop. "So I will see you later tonight for our date."

Michael smiled and said "And I'll be there to watch you play tonight. Bye Rose." Michael leaned over and kissed her on the lips before getting out of the car.

Rose was shocked but smiled. "Bye Michael..." She drove off and headed home.

Michael headed into Jason's building and up to his penthouse. Michael walked up seeing Max and Milo standing outside of the door. Michael said "Hi Max...Milo...is Jason here?"

Max smiled. "Hi Michael. He stepped out for a minute...something came up but he will be back in a few minutes. Go ahead inside and wait for him." Max opened the door so that Michael could go inside."

"Oh...okay thank you." Michael walked into the penthouse closing the door behind him. He paused seeing his mother seated on the couch. "Hi...mom...what are you doing here?" asked Michael curiously.

"Well, Jason told me about Sonny asking him to take you car shopping. I thought that I would tag along with the two of you. How was school today honey?" asked Carly getting up from the couch. She hugged him and smiled. "How did you get here so quickly?"

Michael hugged Carly. "Uh...Rose gave me a ride over here after school. I actually wanted to ask you a favor...I was wondering if I could get a suite at Metro Court after the dance...it will probably be Krissy, Taylor, Rose, and I and a couple of Krissy's friends hanging out there after the dance."

Carly smiled hearing that. He was doing what a teenage boy should be doing. "Of course honey. I will make sure that I reserve a great suite for you guys. And I'll make sure that there is plenty of food and refreshments. I can't believe you are hosting your own after dance party."

"It's not really a party mom...it'll be like 10 maybe 12 people...mostly Krissy's friends. But I thought that it might be cool...I mean if I have to do this high school thing...I might as well get the experiences or whatever..."

"I am so proud of you for trying Michael. I know you've been through much these last couple of years. But this is the start of your future. You have your whole life ahead of you...and it can be a good life...don't delude yourself into believing that it can't be. You can be anything that you want in life...and I want that for you...I want you to be able to choose whatever you want..." said Carly.

"No...you don't. Because you know the one thing that I want...and that is something you don't want for me mom. Going to Madison hasn't changed me...even though I know that you'd like it to." He shook he head and decided to change the subject he could see the look of hurt on Carly's face. "I made the baseball team...I'm the new short-stop."

Carly stood there staring at her son. "There is more to life than the mob Michael. You could have a future...you could be a doctor...a lawyer...a CEO...an accountant...a professor...you could be anything...the mob is dangerous and it will land you in prison...baby I know that you never want to go there again. Why do you think that I am having Jax adopt Morgan? I want him as far away from your father's life as I can possibly get him because it is dangerous...I nearly lost you to his life..."

"You aren't listening to me...you want...those things for me...but that isn't what I want. I remember A.J. telling me that my dad was a bad man that Jason was a bad man...that they hurt people for a living. That dad and Jason killed people for a living. And I couldn't imagine it at that age because I loved my dad and I loved Jason and they were great to me...so how could they also do bad things...well I learned an important lesson at a young age...nothing is black and white...good people do bad things sometimes. I grew up a little that day...more than I should have at that age. But from then on...I saw my dad...and my uncle for who they really were and I grew up seeing their business for what it was...I've known what I wanted for a very long time and prison didn't change that... Madison Prep isn't going to change that...college isn't going to change that...you...aren't going to change that. This is the dream that I have for myself and no one is going to change my mind. And don't go blaming Dad because you know he doesn't want me following in his footsteps...this is what I want...this is what I think. I'm sorry mom. Tell Jason we can go car shopping another day."

Carly stood there stunned not sure what to say in response to her son. She could see his stubbornness shining through...her own stubbornness. She knew that he wasn't going to give up. She would just have to make sure that Sonny continued to tell Michael no. His words kept circulating through her head. She knew that Michael had grown up much too fast and that was her fault for the life that they led. The guilt was eating her up inside and she didn't know what to do. "Michael wait...don't leave." said Carly walking over to him. "You are my son and I love you...and I know that you aren't a little boy anymore...but it is hard for me to not want to take care of you and protect you. All I have ever wanted for you was to have a good life...a happy life...and you going to prison...was like my ultimate failure. Seeing taken away in handcuffs...this wasn't supposed to be your life...you were supposed to have a better life...be a better person than...any of us."

Michael said "That is where you are wrong...you, dad, and Jason...I don't know three better people. All of you have given so much of yourselves to protect me...I feel lucky to have been raised by you guys and to have the adventures that I have had. And for all of you loving me so much. It is because of all of that...that I am my own person...capable of making my own decisions...and I want you to respect that mom...please."

Jason walked into the penthouse. He stopped seeing the standoff in his living room. "What is going on here? Carly?" asked Jason looking between the two of them.

Carly shook her head and said "I've got to go...I need to pick up Josslyn." She kissed Michael's cheek. "Goodbye sweetie...I will see you tomorrow so that we can pick out that tuxedo for you." Carly picked up her purse and headed for the door. "Bye Jason."

Jason closed the door behind her and looked back to Michael. "What happened?"

Michael shook his head. "Just having a talk with mom about my future...what she wants versus what I want...I really don't want to get into it...I know...none of you want me involved in the business...I get it...but I know what I want and I won't give up on that. So...can we just go look for my car...please?"

Jason nodded and said "Sure...we can go."

It took Michael and Jason three hours but the found the car of Michael's dreams and purchased it. But it wouldn't be ready until later in the week.

Later that night after the volleyball game Michael was waiting for Rose outside in the parking lot. He was leaning against the car he had borrowed from Jason.

Rose walked out of the gym carrying her gym bag. She was wearing a blue polo dress with a belt.

Michael saw her walk out the door and jogged over to meet her. "Want me to carry your bag?" asked Michael with a smile. He took it from her hand. "You did great tonight...I bet you made the team. When will you find out?"

Rose smiled and said "Hi Michael. Thanks. I should find out like Thursday...so...are you going to tell me now where we are going?"

Michael laughed and said 'No...I'm not...it is a surprise. You mind if we leave your car here? I can bring you back to it after our date..."

Rose smirked. "Sure we can leave my car here." Rose smiled and said "I have to admit...I am excited."

Michael said "I am too...I think you are going to enjoy yourself." Michael opened the car door for her and tossed her bag in the backseat. Michael walked around to his side of the car and climbed in. he put on his seatbelt and then drove off toward their destination.

"So how did car shopping with your uncle go?" asked Rose fixing her make up in the mirror as Michael drove.

Michael said "it was good...I thought it was going to be weird because I had just gotten into an argument with my mom but he didn't even say anything about it. We just looked for my car. I found the one I wanted...I got all of the custom options I wanted and I should have my car by the end of this week or the beginning of next week. I picked out the Jag XKR...and I am getting it in silver metallic."

"Is everything okay with you and your mom?" asked Rose. "Wow...that sounds very nice...so...do I get to go for a ride in your new car when you get it?" asked Rose with a grin.

He smirked and said "You will be the first person in my car...I promise." "I don't really want to talk about my argument with my mom...I feel bad enough about it."

Rose nodded and said "Okay..." Rose quieted down and listened to the music on the radio.

Michael pulled up at putt-putt golf place. He parked and smiled over at Rose. "Here we are." said Michael.

Rose laughed and said "Oh this is great! I love putt-putt golf Michael. I haven't been in such a long time. This is an awesome pick for a first date...good job." She got out of the car excitedly.

Michael got out of the car and caught up with her. He smiled and said "Well, I am glad that I made the right choice then...it was between this and go-carts." Michael put his arm around her as they walked together.

"Ooh I love go-carts too. Maybe that can be our second date." said Rose with a smile.

Michael walked up to the booth and paid for the two of them and they headed inside. Michael smiled and said "So are you good at putt-putt golf or am I going to beat you?"

Rose laughed and said "I am great a putt-putt golf...you are going down."

Michael and Rose spent two hours there before leaving and going to Kelly's. They sat together while they waited on their food. Michael said "So did you really have fun tonight Rosie?"

Rose laughed and asked "Did you just call me Rosie? Yes, I had a great time...even though I lost. You are such a sweet guy and a great boyfriend."

"What you don't like the name Rosie? I think it sounds cute..." said Michael with a smirk. "I am glad that you had a good time Rose. I didn't really know what I was doing when it came to planning a date. I've never really done that before...I mean...by the time I was at the age to start dating...I ended up in a coma and then my life was just one downhill slide after that...but I have to say...you...you are definitely a high point." said Michael reaching over taking her hand. He interlaced their fingers.

Rose smiled listening to him talk. She looked at their fingers interlaced. "So I am your first girlfriend...I feel very special. You aren't my first boyfriend...but you are definitely the best and the sweetest. I am glad that I could be a high point in your life...because you are definitely a high point for me. When my dad first told me that we were moving to Port Charles I thought that I would hate it here. Meeting you has made it a lot better than I could have ever imagined."

"Well, I am glad that you moved here...you've made this last week bearable...you and Krissy are what keep me sane and you both keep me laughing. Oooh you've had a lot of boyfriends huh?" asked Michael teasing her. "How many?"

She laughed. "I did not say that I have had a lot of boyfriends...I just said that you weren't my first boyfriend." Rose was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. But it was her fault for bringing it up so she couldn't fault him for it.

"Oh come on...don't be shy." said Michael. He was sort of curious.

"I've had three boyfriends... you are boyfriend number three. My first boyfriend was this guy that asked me out my freshman year of high school...we dated like two weeks before we broke up...he found a hotter...easier girl. And my next boyfriend...is Nicolas and Roman's father. We dated for like three months and then I got pregnant and we broke up. But he was...a really bad guy...and...I put up with...a lot of bad stuff from him." said Rose shrugging her shoulders. Rose sort of stared off not sure what to say now. She may have only had two boyfriends before Michael but she had a lot of baggage from those two relationships.

Michael could see that this was a sore subject for her. "Rose...I'm sorry...I never meant to...hurt you...I was just joking around." He could tell by her tone that there was a lot there.

"No, Michael you have no reason to apologize. I am the one that brought it up. Besides...my ex boyfriends don't matter. Just you." said Rose.

Michael reached over and caressed her cheek. "You have a beautiful smile...smile for me please..." said Michael looking into her eyes.

Rose smiled at him and said "I'm sorry for getting weird on you...it's just...stuff I guess..."

"You understand all of my stuff...and when you want to...we can talk about your stuff..." said Michael seriously.

Bryce and his friend Donovan walked into Kelly's seeing Michael and Rose. Bryce walked over to Michael's table and kicked Michael's chair. "It's a shame that they let murderers just walk around free. But I am sure your mobster daddy bought off the judge just like he bought off Mr. Barker. Must be nice having Mr. Barker stand up for you." Bryce had a seat at their table. "Uh so you are the new girl in our AP Biology class...what's your name again?" Bryce smirked at her giving her a once over.

Rose said "Listen, I'm not interested in talking to you...so get lost. I'm on a date with my boyfriend...you know the new short-stop. I heard that used to be your position."

Bryce laughed and said "What...you've got a soft spot for 'Killer' over here? You know...you are in danger...he likes hitting innocent women in the head with axle handles and killing them. You wouldn't want to be his next victim would you? Just think of it as me trying to save you."

Michael stood up and said "You need to walk away Bryce before I do some serious damage to you. I'm her boyfriend...she isn't interested in getting to know you." Michael felt his blood boiling. He wanted to put Bryce's head through the window and it was taking every ounce of his resolve.

Bryce laughed. "What are you going to do...beat me up? I'm not a defenseless woman. You sure you have the nads to do it? Besides...I am not here to see you...I am here to talk to her...I've been seeing her around school lately...and I like what I see. I didn't get your name by the way..."

"And you won't get it." said Rose. Rose stood up from the table. "Michael let's just go please...I don't want to deal with this loser." said Rose. She could see the look on Michael's face. She knew that he was at the end of his rope.

Michael tossed some money on the table for the meal they had yet to receive. He was trying his best not to knock out Bryce. "Yeah...let's go." said Michael he put his arm around Rose's waist and they started to walk out of Kelly's.

Bryce grabbed Rose's arm and said "Hey...I am still talking to you." He pulled her toward him.

Michael whirled around ready to start a brawl.

Ethan and Johnny Zacchara were sitting at the counter talking about business but stopped when they heard the commotion. They both rushed over.

"Get your hands off of me you jerk!" said Rose kicking Bryce in the crotch.

Bryce howled in pain and dropped to his knees next to the table. He looked up from the ground with a glare. "You are going to be sorry about that!"

Ethan said "You and you...get out of here." He opened the door and motioned for Bryce and Donovan to leave.

Rose looked at Michael and said "Let's just go Michael...please." Rose was shaken up and angry but still worried about Michael. She looked at him with pleading eyes.

Seeing how upset Rose was made Michael sick to his stomach. Michael nodded and said "Okay...we can go..." He said "Touch her again...and you won't have to worry about her kicking you in the nuts...I'll make you wish you were dead." Michael walked out of Kelly's with Rose. They walked out to the car and Michael unlocked it. "Are you okay Rose?" asked Michael seriously. He lightly brushed her curly chocolate brown locks away from her face.

She offered a crooked smile. "I am fine...I just wish I could have gotten a second kick in before he hit the ground...oh well." "The more important question is...are you okay?" asked Rose.

"Yeah...I am okay...I want to kill the guy but I am okay." said Michael. "When he grabbed you...all I could think about was snapping his neck." said Michael.

"Well, you didn't have to do it...I told you earlier...I know how to take care of myself..." said Rose with a smile. "Come on...I used to pick on you apparently." said Rose laughing quietly as she thought about that picture of the two of them from when they were children.

He smiled at her. "Come on let's go hang out at my Uncle Jason's place for awhile. You don't have to get home right away do you?"

Rose shook her head and said "No... I have plenty of time before my curfew...let's get out of here." Rose climbed into the car and closed the car door. She put on her seatbelt and took a deep breath. She didn't want Michael to see how shook up she actually was.

Michael got into the car and put on his seatbelt. "Jason told me he was going to be spending the evening with his girlfriend Sam so we should have his place to ourselves for a couple of hours until he gets back. Brenda is staying with my dad tonight." Michael pulled out of the parking lot and drove toward Jason's place.

"What is that like...I mean your dad dating this really famous model?" asked Rose.

He shrugged and said "I don't know...more trouble than it is worth...not that it is Brenda's fault...I mean she is a very nice woman...it is just that my mother hates her...and when my mother decides that she hates you...well you are probably better off moving away...but I want my dad to be happy...and if dating Brenda makes him happy...then I am happy for him. When he talks about her...he makes it seem like she is the one true love of his life."

"Well, your family life is interesting..." said Rose with a smile.

Michael laughed and said 'What you mean is that it is a three ring circus. There is always some major drama...for us to get through. My life started off with drama...the Quartermaines wanted to take me from my mother...my Uncle Jason stole me...and decided to raise me. My dad, Sonny, was like my uncle Jason's mentor so when he came back into town he ended up bonding with me...anyway in the end he ended up becoming my father and adopting me when I got older."

"Wow...your life makes a good lifetime movie you know...so do you have any contact with the Quartermaines...?" asked Rose.

Michael said "Yeah...I see them from time to time. They really love me a lot...I wish I knew how to be closer to them not necessarily for myself...but because I see how much they'd like me to be a part of their family. But it is hard because they of course hate my father...and I guess in a way they have good reason to. But I see what being a Quartermaine did my biological father...and...how they...twisted him up...I don't know if I want to be a part of that."

"That is a lot to have to deal with...but it also sounds like you have a lot of people that love you a lot and that can't be a bad thing...well unless they don't know how to butt out...I've always hated that." said Rose with a smile.

Michael nodded and said "I know the feeling...trust me..." Michael parked and said "Well, here we are." Michael got out of the car and waited on Rose before the two of them headed up to Jason's penthouse. Michael unlocked the door and walked in. "Jason? Spinelli?" asked Michael. He smiled when no one answered. He closed the door behind them. "Well, it looks like it is just the two of us. I am sure you are hungry...since we didn't get to eat...do you want to order a pizza or something?"

"A pizza sounds really good right now...anything with extra cheese would be great." said Rose with a smile.

"Extra cheese? A girl after my heart...why don't you have a seat and I will order the pizza." said Michael. He went over to the phone and ordered their pizza and then walked over joining her on the couch. "My uncle Jason isn't really big on television but there is one upstairs in the guest room. After the pizza gets here we can go up there and watch some movies..." "So...are you really okay...I mean after what happened..."

Rose said "Okay that sounds like fun to me.' Rose looked at him a moment and then nodded. "Sure, Michael I am fine. Bryce is a jerk and I feel good that I kicked him where the sun doesn't shine..."

"I know...but you just seemed...really freaked out about him touching you..." said Michael. He didn't know how to approach the subject. He could tell that she was hurting and more than anything he wanted to help her. He wanted to take that hurt away somehow.

"It just brought up some old memories that I'd sooner forget...like I said...my ex boyfriend...was a bad guy and...I don't know...Bryce just reminded me of him tonight. I think I was more freaked out about that than Bryce..."said Rose. She nervously picked with the bracelet on her wrist.

Michael was quiet a minute looking at her. "Your ex...grabbed you like that before? Did he hit you?" asked Michael. He stopped himself and said "You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to tell me. I am sorry for...pushing you to tell me something that is obviously painful. I...I just see in pain and I want to fix it...stupid huh...?"

"Michael...you are not stupid...you are so sweet...but some things you can't fix..." said Rose. Rose said "Yeah...he did hit me...and I didn't fight back...I was afraid of Derek...and I think I hated myself the most...for not fighting back...I've always known how to take care of myself...and with Derek I...I was scared of him and I didn't fight back...and the one time I did...fight back was...after I found out that I was pregnant...and...I was scared because he hit me in the stomach. I freaked out and...bashed him over the head with a lamp...he needed 16 stitches and he was charged with domestic violence...he went to juvenile for 6 months...when he got out he signed away his parental rights to Roman and Nicolas...and his parents sent him to a boarding school in Spain. Derek was the worst thing that ever happened to me and the best thing that ever happened to me...he caused me so much pain...but if it weren't for him I wouldn't have Nicolas and Roman...and I can't imagine my life without them now. I'd die for them..." Rose blinked away tears in her eyes. "Um...where is the restroom..?" asked Rose.

Michael hugged her and said "You are a great girl Rose...and I'm sorry...that he hurt you so bad...and I am sorry that Bryce...reminded you of that bad time..." Michael gave her direction to the bathroom.

Rose said "I'll be right back." Rose slipped into the bathroom to collect herself.

Michael sat in the living room waiting on her.

Rose came out of the bathroom ten minutes later. She had cried and then washed her face so she didn't look horrible. "Michael..." said Rose.

"Are you okay?" asked Michael. He could tell from her puffy eyes that she had been crying.

"Yeah...I'm better..." said Rose with a genuine smile. "I smell pepperoni...the pizza must have came while I was in the bathroom."

Michael nodded and said "Yeah it did...I grabbed some sodas for us from the kitchen. Are you ready to go up and watch a movie...or would you just rather I take you home?"

"No...I want to watch a movie with you...besides I am starving and I really want a slice of that pizza." said Rose with a smile. She picked up the sodas and napkins. "I'll carry these."

Michael smiled and said "Okay...I'll carry the pizza." He turned out the lights downstairs and headed upstairs with Rose. They walked into the guestroom and Michael turned on the lights. Michael set the pizza on the end of the bed and kicked off his shoes. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. "Okay...so what should we watch?" asked Michael handing her the remote.

Rose chuckled and said "Oooh I get to pick...you are a gentleman." She smiled and flipped through the channels. She slipped off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. "Okay this bed is incredibly high...it makes me feel short." She chuckled and said "Ooh wait I love this movie! Chuck and Larry is such a hilarious movie...but then again Adam Sandler is always funny." Rose got settled in the bed and snagged a slice of pizza.

Michael and Rose ate a few slices of pizza and watched the movie. "Have you had enough pizza?"

Rose laughed and said "Oh yeah three slices is my limit. But it was so good. I am going to have to remember their name so that I can order from them."

Michael smiled. "Okay well I am going to go put this up in the fridge." Michael got up and walked downstairs putting the pizza away. He came back upstairs and saw that Rose had moved from the foot of the bed to the head of the bed and was under the blanket with her back against the headboard.

She chuckled and said "My feet were freezing. I hope you don't mind."

He laughed and said "No. I don't mind. I wouldn't want you to be freezing." Michael climbed back onto the bed and got settled with Rose. He put his arm around her and watched the movie.

Later On...

Jason walked into the penthouse a couple of hours later. "Michael?" asked Jason wondering if his nephew was there or not. Jason walked upstairs to the guestroom. He knocked on the door and opened it. "Michael?" Jason froze momentarily.

Michael was on the bed making out with Rose. Michael pulled back so quickly that he fell off the side of the bed. "Jason...uh...hi...uh...uh..." said Michael.

Jason said "I'll be downstairs if you need me." Jason turned around closing the door behind him.

Rose sat on the bed embarrassed. After Jason was gone Rose started laughing. "Wow..."

Michael laid back on the floor and laughed at himself. "I am so glad that all we were doing was kissing..." said Michael laughing more.

Rose giggled and said "Yeah...really glad.' She got off of the bed looking for her shoes. She put them on and said "I think it is probably time for me to head home...would you mind taking me back to my car?"

Michael laughed and said "I seriously need a place of my own...we should have gone to your place. Sure, just let me get my shoes on." Michael grabbed his shoes and stood up. He sat on the side of the bed and put on his shoes. "Okay, I am ready to go."

Rose smiled and said "Okay..." Rose walked out of the bedroom with Michael and walked down the stairs.

Michael walked over to Jason. "I need to take Rose to pick up her car...I'll be back soon."

Jason nodded and said "Alright."

Michael and Rose left the penthouse and Michael drove Rose to the school parking lot to pick up her car. They rode in silence to the high school. Michael was looking for the right words to say to her. Michael pulled up next to her car and parked. Michael got out of the car.

Rose got out and walked over to her car. "Michael...I had such a good time tonight."

"Even with...the bad stuff?" asked Michael.

Rose said "You are such a great guy Michael. I enjoyed our first date...and I can't wait until our second date..."

Michael smirked and leaned in and kissed her. "Goodnight Rose."

"Goodnight Michael." said Rose. She climbed into her car.

Michael handed Rose her gym bag. "I'll see you in school."

Rose nodded and said "I'll see you in the morning." Rose closed her car door and waved to him before pulling off.

Michael walked back over to Jason's car and climbed in. He drove back to Jason's place and headed inside and up to bed for the night.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry for the delay!

* * *

Michael stood at Rose's front door wearing an Armani tuxedo and holding a corsage in his hand. Michael was trying not to be nervous but at the moment he was absolutely terrified. Michael would be meeting Rose's parents for the first time tonight. He was worried what they would think of him. His life saga was no secret in the town and he was sure that they had already heard the gossip about him. And even though Marco, Rose's father, and Constantino, Rose's uncle, were friends with Sonny...that did not mean that they would want a murderer and convicted felon dating Rose. The past week had been good and bad for Michael. The taunting was still going on at school, but Michael was slowly getting better at tuning it out. That was partly because of Rose being there for him. But it was also because he was hitting the gym everyday to take out his aggression. Jason had been right about Michael needing to channel his anger and energy. Michael and Rose were spending time together every day after school to study together. She definitely made him happy.

The front door opened and there stood Marco Marino, Rose's father. He smiled warmly at Michael and said "Good evening, Michael. Please, come inside. Rose isn't quite ready yet. But she should be in a few minutes." Marco closed the door once Michael stepped inside. "You can have a seat in the sitting room with me while we wait on Rose." Marco led the way to the spacious sitting room decorated with antiques. Marco had a seat after pouring himself a glass of scotch. "So what are your plans for the evening?" asked Marco with a stern look on his face.

Michael had a seat in a chair. He shifted in the chair nervously. "Uh...I am taking Rose to Metro Court. My younger sister Kristina and her date Taylor will be going with us. After dinner we will be going to the dance and afterward we will go to a party at the Metro Court in a suite I booked. Six or eight of my sister Kristina's friends will be joining us. We'll have music and food...stuff like that. No alcohol and my mother will probably check in periodically."

Marco smiled. He already knew what the plans were because he had spoken with Sonny earlier. But he was glad to see that Michael was an honest young man. "That sounds like fun. Rose seems very fond of you. She has talked about you a great deal. I am glad that she is seeing a nice young man with the right values. And that she has made friends in such a short time."

"I..." said Michael. He was worried that maybe Marco didn't know about his past indiscretions. He wanted to be honest so he said "Mr. Marino...I don't know if you've heard about me around town or..."

Marco shook his head. "There is no reason to explain your past to me. I am friends with your father...and my Rose tells me everything. I know all about your step-mother Claudia and the aftermath of that situation. If I didn't think you were a respectable young man I wouldn't let you out of the house with my little girl."

Rose walked into the room. "I'm ready." said Rose. She was wearing a silver strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline and a rhinestone embroidered empire waist. The dress was floor length, fitted at the top, and flared toward the bottom giving it some movement when she walked across the floor. Rose was carrying a matching silver clutch purse. Her long brown hair was left down and it framed her face. She smiled brightly seeing Michael. "Hi…" said Rose.

Michael stood up seeing Rose walk into the room. She was a like a vision of beauty. "Rose...you look...beautiful." said Michael in awe of her. Michael was holding her corsage in hand. He said "Oh this is for you." Michael walked over to her and pulled the corsage out of the box. He smiled. "It matches my boutonniere." Michael slipped the corsage onto her wrist. Michael still had trouble believing that a girl as great as Rose wanted to be with him. He didn't realize that she felt the same way about him.

Rose smiled looking at the corsage. She said "It is beautiful Michael. You look really hot too." Rose's hand went up to his tie to straighten it for him. "Well, I am ready to go." said Rose. Rose walked over and hugged her father. "I'll see you later dad." said Rose.

Marco said "Wait! I need to take pictures! You mother will be angry if I don't take pictures. She hates that she has to be at work tonight." Marco grabbed his camera and snapped a couple of pictures of the two of them together.

Michael said "Oh, Mr. Marino would you mind taking a few pictures with my camera? My mom really wants a couple of shots with Rose and me together." Michael pulled the digital camera from his pocket and offered it to the older man.

Marco walked over taking the camera. "Sure." Marco snapped a couple pictures of the young couple and returned the camera to Michael. "The two of you have a good night and be safe please. Rose, if you need anything…please call me okay." He trusted his daughter but he knew that Rose and Michael had been having some trouble with bullies at Madison Prep and the night of a school dance was the perfect time for that bullying to escalate.

Rose laughed and said "We will Dad! You worry too much, I will be fine. Michael will be with me." She kissed her father's cheek. "I'll see you later daddy." said Rose hugging her father.

"Thank you Mr. Marino. I will be sure to get Rose back home safely. You have my word." said Michael. Michael was relieved that his first meeting with Marco Marino had gone so well.

Marco chuckled and said "Please just call me Marco." He smiled to his daughter. "Bye, Princess."

Michael smiled and took Rose's hand and they walked out of the house together and to the limo that was waiting for them. Rose climbed in first and then Michael climbed in after her. After the driver shut the door Michael kissed Rose. "You really do look beautiful." said Michael with a smile.

"And you really do look hot." said Rose with a smile. "Your tux looks great. Your mom has great taste." said Rose. "So where are we going first? Kristina's house or Taylor's house." asked Rose.

"Well, we are stopping to pick up Krissy and Taylor together. Taylor is already at the lake house with Krissy so we just have to make one stop before we go to Metro Court for dinner. My mom made sure that we have the best reservation in the restaurant apparently we are not the only couples that thought dinner at Metro Court before the dance would be cool. And she booked the best suite for us for the party. There are some perks to this life." said Michael with a smile. He put an arm around Rose and relaxed as they made the trip to pick up Krissy and Taylor. Michael was just hoping he didn't act like a complete weirdo tonight. Michael had a lot on his mind. He needed to see Patrick Drake on Monday to see if the medicine was working. If not Michael might have to give up his place on the baseball team.

The limo came to a stop outside of Alexis Davis' house. The driver opened the door.

Michael climbed out of the car and offered Rose his hand.

Rose smiled. "Thank you Michael." Rose walked with Michael up to the front door.

Alexis opened the door before Michael had the chance to knock. "Come in! Come in!" said Alexis with a smile. She already had her camera in hand.

Kristina rushed over to Michael with a grin on her face. "I am so glad that you are here. I didn't think my mother would ever stop taking pictures. She is way too excited about this." Kristina was wearing a fuchsia colored, sequined, strapless dress with an empire waist. Her hair was swept up into an updo.

"Hi Krissy." said Michael. "You look beautiful." Michael smiled seeing that Sonny was sitting on the couch. "Dad...what are you doing here?" asked Michael.

Sonny walked over and hugged Michael. "Well, I couldn't let you go off to your first dance without seeing you. You guys have a fun time tonight okay..." Sonny smiled and said "Hi Rose."

Rose smiled back. "Hi." Rose smiled and said "Kristina, I love your dress. That is such a great color on you."

"Oh thank you! It took forever for me to pick out this dress but I love it. You look beautiful Rose." said Kristina.

Alexis said "Alright everyone get close so I can take some pictures." Alexis was happy to see Kristina behaving like a normal teenager. There was a time in the aftermath of Keifer's death that Alexis was worried that Kristina would never be able to have the normal teenager experiences.

Taylor walked over standing next to Kristina as Alexis started taking pictures.

After a couple of pictures the teens left the house and headed over to Metro Court for dinner. After dinner they went to the dance at Madison Prep.

* * *

Later On...

Around 11:00 that night Michael opened the door to the luxury suite Carly booked for the night. The room was decorated and there was a spread of appetizers and refreshments. Michael smiled realizing that his mom had gone over the top as always. He would have to be sure to thank her for this.

"Wow this is great, Michael. Carly really came through for us tonight." said Kristina. She walked into the room and turned on the music. "My friends should be here soon." said Kristina with a bright smile. Kristina had invited her friends Ali, Kevin, Kelly, Alex, Melanie, Sean, Amber, and Chris. She was so excited to finally be living a relatively normal life.

Taylor went straight for the food. "This food looks great!" said Taylor. He popped a couple of mini crab cakes in his mouth as before going to sit down. "This is a really nice suite Michael."

Michael flopped down on a couch and laughed. "I am tired. All of that dancing that Rose made me do has tired me out for the night." Michael hated to admit it but he really did have a great time at the dance. There were a few moments when the taunts got to him but all in all he had a good time.

Rose had a seat next to Michael and laughed. "Oh quit complaining. You loved dancing with me. You are a better dancer than you give yourself credit for. You were so cute on the dance floor and we've got some great pictures." Rose moved closer to Michael and started flipping through the pictures on her camera and showing them to Michael.

Kristina laughed and said "I can't believe you did the moonwalk, Michael. You were so awesome. Bryce and his stupid friends were just jealous because you actually have rhythm. Thanks for going through with tonight Michael. I know that you only went because I asked you to go. But I had a lot of fun and I am glad that you did too."

"You are my little sister Krissy. I'll always be there for you...no matter what you need." said Michael. "I am glad that you had a good time. I didn't want to moonwalk but they started playing Thriller I sort of had to at that point." said Michael jokingly.

There was a knock at the door.

Kristina smiled and ran over to the door letting in her friends. "I am so glad that you guys are here!" said Kristina laughing. Kristina hugged Ali and said "Come in!"

Kristina's friends filed into the suite.

"You guys have got to see the balcony. The view is amazing." said Kristina opened the double doors and walking out onto the balcony with her friends.

Michael put his arm around Rose and chuckled watching Krissy talking to her friends. He shook his head. He was glad to see that his sister was happy but this definitely wasn't his scene. He looked at Rose and said "Do you want to sneak out of here?"

Rose chuckled and said "Kristina is going to be pissed if you take off, Michael. But sure...if you want to slip out then I want to."

Michael chuckled and said "Krissy is so busy with her friends that she won't notice that I am gone for awhile." Michael stood up and offered Rose his hand.

Rose giggled and said "Wait, if we are going to make a run for it I need to take off these heels." Rose kicked off her shoes and grabbed her purse. "Alright go!" said Rose with a laughed.

Michael chuckled and ran out of the hotel suite with Rose in tow. They ran down the hall to the elevator and were able to grab it as a couple was getting onto the elevator. Michael chuckled and said "Well, that was easy. Krissy was distracted by the view." He chuckled. "So where do you want to go?"

"I want to go wherever you want to take me Michael." said Rose with a smile. She squeezed his hand lightly and said "I've had such a great time tonight. You are the best date a girl could ask for."

Michael smiled and said "You are a sweet girl, Rose." He wrapped an arm around her as they waited on the elevator to go to the ground floor. "I have the perfect place for the two of us to hang out." said Michael with a wink. They got off of the elevator and left the Metro Court together in Sonny's limo. Michael had the limo take them to the Pier.

The driver got out and opened the door for them. "Would you like for me to stick around Mr. Corinthos?" asked the driver.

Michael said "No, I will just call for a cab when we are ready to leave. You can go back to the Metro Court and wait for my sister and her date to leave. Please, let her know that I've already gone home for the evening."

"Are you sure Mr. Corinthos?" asked the driver.

"Yes, I am sure. Thank you." said Michael. He took Rose's hand and walked with her to the bench. "I know this is sort of a lame location but I have always loved coming out here. I like looking at the water." said Michael with a chuckle.

Rose said "I don't think it is lame at all. I love the water...I miss it being here in Port Charles. I miss being on the beach in Miami. I miss going to my family's vacation home in the Keys." Rose walked over to the railing and looked out at the water. She smiled seeing the way the full moon shined on the still water. "Are you okay Michael...you seemed distracted earlier?"

Michael stood next to her and said "Oh...yeah I am okay...I just have a check up with Dr. Drake Monday. He is going to see if the medicine is working at all. I need the okay from him before I can start practicing with the team...liability issues or something. So after how hard I worked to get on the team...it might all be for nothing anyway."

"I'm sorry Michael. But it wasn't for nothing. You made the team because you are just that good. And you showed all of those stuck up losers that you were better than them. Even if you don't get to play one game... that counts for something." said Rose looking at him.

He chuckled softly looking at her. "You are always so optimistic...so positive. You always make me feel like things can get better. And you see me for me...the real me."

"I guess I just try to stay positive. So many bad things have happened...I've seen so many bad things...I have to be positive or some days I would not get out of my bed." said Rose with a shrug.

"The stuff with your ex?" asked Michael.

Rose nodded and said "That...and other stuff...I watched my dad be gunned down in front of me. He survived of course but...we didn't think he would...I thought he was dead. And sometimes when I close my eyes I can still picture him laying on the ground...his blood seeping onto the pavement below him and spreading out. I swear it was like someone knocking over a can of paint or something. It was so surreal. Stuff like that happens and I know that no matter how bad my day is...it could be worse... a lot worse."

He chuckled a little and said "We are both messed up...you know that right?" he leaned his forehead down onto hers and stood there with her. His arms wrapped around her. "This pier is where I first out that my dad and Uncle Jason made people die for a living. My biological dad told me…and my uncle Jason struggled to explain it to me. My biological father...A.J., he kidnapped me once and faked my death. Until I got shot...I thought that was the worst thing that could have ever happened to me...and then I got shot in the head...that definitely was worse...and then killing Claudia...and going to prison...and...my life keeps getting exponentially worse."

Rose said "Maybe the bad stuff prepares us...the bad stuff makes us stronger so that we can withstand anything. Like these big trees in Miami...a hurricane comes through and scars it up by blowing debris all around it...but in the end the tree is still standing. It may be bruised and it isn't as pretty anymore...but it is still there...alive to fight another fight."

"There may be some truth to that. My mom has been through so much and it just seems to make her stronger and more determined. My mom would do anything for me...literally." said Michael laughing. "And when she loves you there is nothing she wouldn't do for you...she's that way with Jason and my dad. And the night I killed Claudia I realized that I had that sort of bond with my mother. That I would kill to keep her safe." said Michael.

She nodded and said "I understand that feeling...my ex...smacked me around and I didn't fight back because I was scared. But once I knew that I was pregnant and that he might hurt my babies...that was it for me. I fought like I had nothing to lose. I look at my little boys and I know that I would do absolutely anything for them."

Michael rubbed her arms a little knowing that talking about her ex boyfriend upset her. Michael leaned in and kissed her. He smiled and said "What are you doing tomorrow? I was thinking that we could hang out."

Rose said "Well, I was going to take my sons to the park. I want to spend some time with them but we can meet later on...?"

"Well, maybe I can hang out with you and the little guys. It should be a nice day tomorrow. We could always just go to the park together." suggested Michael with a smile.

Rose was shocked but smiled. "I'd love that Michael. Nicholas and Roman love the park so they will have a good time and I will enjoy having you there with me. Maybe later tomorrow night we could go to the movies together."

"Sure, I haven't been to the movies in...a long time." said Michael chuckling. It was nice to just do normal things that kids his age did. It allowed him to forget for just a moment that he was in fact very different from them. "The counselor at school wants to talk to me about my college choices." said Michael chuckling.

Rose said "Yeah, he wants to talk to me too. I already know what colleges I want to apply to...now I just have to hope that I get into one of those schools. I am going to apply to NYU, Vassar, Columbia, Brown, William and Mary, and University of Miami. Where are you going to apply?"

Michael chuckled and said "Wow, you are really going for the brass rings. I am going to apply to NYU, Cornell, William and Mary, and Columbia. I will probably apply to Northwestern, Michigan University, and Port Charles Uni too. But I don't know if any of them will let me in with my background. I am not what you could call a great candidate. But my parents really want me to try so I am going to try for their sake. But I will not expect much...low expectations means I can't be too disappointed right?"

"Those are really great schools, Michael. Besides, how many booze addled DUI, trust fund babies attend those schools? Don't count yourself out until it happens. You never know they might surprise you. And between your dad and your step-dad not to mention your grandfather...they might be able to call in enough favors to get you in. I know that isn't what you want but..." said Rose.

"But when you are an ex-con you have to take whatever chances you get. So if I get in because Jax and my dad donate a new library or something...then that is what will have to happen. Or I guess I could just move to one of my dad's islands and never come back. I can be a beach bum and live out my days drinking on my boat and fishing."

Rose chuckled and said "Hard to run a syndicate from an island or are you abandoning your plans for greatness young Cesar?" She smirked looking at Michael. She knew his true desires. "This could all be your kingdom some day."

Michael chuckled and said "My father sees me as a kid and he will until I grow up more. So I've decided to do the college thing. I want to show him that I am capable of focus...you know I haven't been really stable since I got hit in the head with a bullet. I was fits of rage...and I have to be able to control myself...so I am going to work on all of that. But I think my dad kind of understands what I am going through because of his bipolar. So college and a degree."

"That makes sense...the future of this business isn't just protection money, loan sharking, breaking legs, and smuggling anymore...I mean my uncle owns a newspaper, printing company, he has controlling interest in a cosmetic company. It is a brave new world and you have to adapt. A college degree and an interest in business could go a long way." said Rose with a smirk.

Michael chuckled and said "Listen to you...if you were a boy I am sure you'd give your brothers and cousins a run for their money. You've got it all figured out in your head hmmm? You are devious...but very very cute." Michael wrapped his arms around her.

Rose laughed and rested her head against his chest. "Sure, I've thought about how it would be if I could rise through the ranks of my family and claim the top position as my own. But I am a woman...no one would respect me. I'd have to wipe out entire organizations to make it known that I am not weak and that I am to be respected. But it is not to be I will have to settle for something like being a lawyer. Maybe I will go into politics they are crooks too."

"Will you defend me during my next court case?" asked Michael with a grin. He kissed her softly.

Rose smiled after the kiss and said "You bet I will and I will win too. Because a Marino doesn't like to lose. My uncle Constantino always says...even when I lose...I win. You planning on committing any crimes any time soon?"

Michael laughed. "No, I figure I'll wait until you are out of law school. Ten years from now...where do you think you will be?"

"I don't know it has changed so much in a couple of years. I think I will probably be a lawyer for one of my family's many companies. I'll probably be married to a really great guy...I might have an extra kid or two. Wherever I am in ten years...I just hope that I am happy." said Rose.

"Sounds like a good life to me. I don't know I think I will finish college...maybe settle down with a pretty woman." said Michael with a wink at her. "Maybe I will move to one of the islands and run my dad's casino and resort. Or maybe I'll start up my own security firm. But I agree with you...I just want to be happy in the end...sometimes I wonder if I really know what that is."

Rose smiled when he winked at her. Rose felt her heart beat faster looking into his eyes. "I think you have to find your own happiness…happy means different things for different people…what would make you happy?"

Michael paused. He thought he heard footsteps behind them. Michael turned around seeing a figure approaching them. Michael observed the man that appeared to be a couple of years older than himself.

The guy looked sketchy at best but he looked sweaty and tweaked out. "Hey...do you guys...can you guys spare some change? My name is Greg...nice to meet you." said Greg walking closer to them. One of his hands was stuffed in his tattered jeans' pocket. It was obvious that Greg was a drug addict.

Michael positioned himself between Rose and the guy. He was suddenly regretting his choice of coming to the pier to get privacy. "No, we don't have any change. Why don't you just move on?" said Michael in a confident voice.

"Come on...you can spare some change." said Greg. He whipped out a switchblade from his pocket. "Or you can just give me all of your money." He jabbed at Michael with the knife but only caught his shirt.

"Michael!" yelled Rose.

Michael said "Go! Go to the main road now!" Michael focused on grappling with their attacker.

"I am not leaving you!" said Rose. She got out of the way and searched her purse for her pepper spray.

Michael tried to wrestle the knife away from their attacker.

Greg jabbed Michael with the knife in the side.

Michael growled in pain and that just enraged him more. He grabbed the guy and slammed him down on the ground. Michael stood up and started kicking him as hard as he could. For a moment had snapped and was out of control.

Rose stared watching Michael kick the guy. She finally snapped out of her daze and rushed over to Michael. She pulled on his arm. "Michael! Please you've got to stop!" said Rose pulling on his arm as hard as she could. Rose picked up the switchblade and closed it. She tucked it into her purse.

Michael whirled around to look at her but slowly calmed down. "I...I'm sorry...are you okay baby?" asked Michael touching her cheek. He looked into her eyes.

"I am okay...let's just get out of here Michael...come on!" said Rose pulling him away from the pier.

Greg stumbled to his feet and took off in the other direction.

Michael followed Rose away from the pier feeling numb. He put his hand against the knife wound and groaned in pain.

Rose looked over at him. "Oh God...he stabbed you? We've got to get you to a hospital!" said Rose.

"No...I am not telling anyone about this. That guy was a junkie...it isn't like he's going to go to the cops to tell them that I kicked the crap out of him. We need to get somewhere...there is a hotel up ahead...we'll get a room and then we can look at how bad it is..." said Michael.

Rose said "Okay...but if it is bad...I am calling somebody." Rose walked with Michael the two blocks to the hotel. She kept glancing at Michael hoping that he was okay. They walked into the hotel together.

Michael walked up to the counter. "I'd like to rent a room for the night..."

"We have a room with two queen sized beds and one with a king sized bed..." said the clerk looking at the computer.

"We'll take the one with the king sized bed." said Michael. He reached to get his wallet but realized this has hand was covered in blood. "Rose, grab my wallet for me." said Michael.

Rose reached into his pocket and grabbed his wallet. She opened it taking out a credit card and handing it to the clerk along with Michael's ID.

The clerk handed Michael a key card and said "You are in room 420. Have a good night Mr. Corinthos."

Michael and Rose walked to the elevator and waited on it. Michael was in pain but was trying not to draw attention to himself. Just when he thought he couldn't stand it he heard a ding and the doors slid open. Michael walked into the elevator with Rose and hit the button for the 4th floor. He leaned against the wall.

Rose said "Lean against me I will help you to the room." Rose helped hold Michael up. She was glad when the elevator reached their floor. She slowly walked with Michael to their room. She took the key from him and opened their room. Rose closed the door and helped Michael over to the bed. Rose grabbed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign and hung it on the door. She closed the door and went back over to Michael. "Okay...come on I need to see what that cut looks like." said Rose worriedly.

Michael took off his tuxedo jacket and unbuttoned his shirt taking it off. He took off his undershirt and looked down at the wound and winced. "He didn't stab me it is just a slice..."

Rose sat next to him on the bed and said "You might need stitches Michael...this is serious. We have to call someone..."

"We aren't calling anyone. I don't need stitches. I just need to clean it...this is a good hotel...they have to have one of those mini first aid kits around here..." said Michael.

Rose said "Okay...I'll look." Rose got up and searched the room for the first aid kit. She found it in the bathroom. Rose grabbed the kit and brought it out. She took out the peroxide and wet a gauze. "Okay...this is going to hurt." said Rose cleaning the cut.

Michael winced slightly as she cleaned it.

Afterward Rose put some gauze to the cut. "Michael if it doesn't stop bleeding we are going to have to call someone." said Rose.

"If I am not better in a couple of hours then we will call someone." Michael kicked off his shoes before scooting back in the bed more and resting against the headboard. He held the gauze to his cut and closed his eyes as he dealt with the pain.

Rose kicked off her shoes and hiked up her dress so that she could sit in the bed comfortably. She turned on the TV and moved closer to Michael.

Michael put his arm around her. "Come on...I am okay. I just don't want to tell my family because they will get hyperactive about it...and if I go to the hospital it could make trouble for me...they have to report stuff like this..." He could see that she was worried. "Hey...I wouldn't lie to you...I am okay. You believe me...right?" said Michael kissing her softly.

Rose nodded and said "I believe you Michael...I just...I don't want anything bad to happen to you. But you are right...going to the hospital is out of the question...if it is bad...we will figure something else out..." She smiled and said "You kissed me."

He smiled and said "I did...I should kiss you again." Michael kissed her again, partly to take her mind off of his injury and partly because he liked kissing Rose. He moved his fingers up into her hair as they kissed.

Rose murmured against his lips. "Very clever...you think making out with me is going to distract me..."

Michael pulled back and smirked. "Is it working?"

Rose laughed softly. "I don't know...distract me again and we will see."

Michael chuckled. "I can handle that." Michael went back to kissing Rose and moved so that he was slightly on top of her.

She laughed and said "Michael you are going to bleed on my dress!"

He laughed and said "Well...take it off." He tossed her his shirt. "Problem solved...see I am a master of problem solving." said Michael.

Rose laughed and kissed him. "Okay I will change." Rose turned her back to Michael. "Unzip me please."

Michael unzipped her dress for her.

Rose chuckled and went into the bathroom. She slipped out of her dress and put on one of the complimentary robes. "Turns out I don't need your shirt all." said Rose. She tossed it back to him and climbed back into the bed with him.

Michael smirked and asked "Are you naked under there?" Michael could not deny that he was incredibly attracted to Rose, but he didn't know if he was ready to have sex.

Rose laughed and said "No I am not naked! You are such a guy."

Michael laughed and said "Don't you like that about me?" Michael pulled her to him and they cuddled together on the bed and made out for awhile.

Rose giggled and said "Yes, I do like that about you."

Michael took a break from making out with Rose. "You know...that sometimes I get weird about sex and stuff...I just want you to know that it isn't you..." Michael looked into her eyes. "It is...I've just got a lot of stuff and..."

"Michael, I like you and I know that you've been through a lot...a lot more than the guys our age have been through. I am in no rush to have sex...I haven't had sex since I was pregnant. We can take this at whatever pace you want to take this. We've only been dating a week anyway...that would make me easy! We can revisit sex after the new year." said Rose laughing softly.

"It wouldn't make you easy at all. I am going to make you my wife one day...mark my words." said Michael looking into her eyes. He smirked but there was some truth to his words. He had never felt so close to someone outside of his family before. "After the new year! It would be cliché to have sex in a hotel room after a dance right?" asked Michael looking into her eyes. The smile that she wore made her irresistible. Michael grinned and went back to making out with Rose. He had no idea where the night was going.

"I thought you said that marriage just left people broken…I didn't think you'd ever want to get married." said Rose teasingly.

"I've been known to be wrong every once in awhile…and I might be right but sometimes…you've got to take chances right?" asked Michael.

There was a knock at the door about an hour later.

Michael frowned. "I thought you put the sign on the door?" asked Michael.

"I did!" said Rose in a hushed voice.

He got up and grabbed the other robe and put it on. Michael made sure the robe was tied so no one would see the cut on his side. Michael looked out the peephole. "It's my Uncle Jason." said Michael.

Rose said "Okay..." Rose pulled her robe back on and slipped into the bathroom closing the door behind her.

Michael opened the door for Jason. "Uh...Jason...what are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same question..." said Jason looking at Michael wearing a hotel robe. "The clerk here called your dad to let him know that you checked into the hotel for the night with a very pretty young woman. Sonny called me. Of course I was shocked because I was under the impression that you and Rose Marino were at a party in a suite your mother booked for you at Metro Court." Jason walked into the room closing the door behind him. "Rose...you can stop hiding..." said Jason.

Rose came out of the bathroom still in the robe. She gave a wave. "Hi...this really isn't what it looks like."

"You two are adults I am not here to make any judgments. I just wanted to let you know that Carly is looking for you." said Jason.

"Michael! Tell him the truth!" said Rose looking incredibly embarrassed.

Michael laughed seeing how embarrassed she was. "We didn't do anything...we aren't dressed because...I am sort of bleeding. We didn't want to get blood all over our clothes." said Michael opening his robe.

Jason looked at the cut. "What happened?" Jason was worried about his nephew.

"We were at the pier...and a guy comes up and tries to rob us at knife point...he sliced me with the blade...but I went a little over board defending myself...so when he ran off I took it as a sign that we should too. We came here hoping that I would stop bleeding." said Michael.

"We need to get someone to look at that...we have a guy that takes care of things like this I am going to give him a call. You are doing to need stitches." said Jason taking out his cell phone and making the call.

Rose walked over to her purse and pulled out the switchblade. "Uh…this is the knife that the guy used…I didn't think it was good to leave a knife with Michael's blood on it just floating around." Rose handed the knife to Jason.

Jason nodded and said "Thank you. That was a smart move." Jason slipped the knife into his pocket.

Rose slipped into the bathroom and got dressed. She stuck her head out of the door. "Michael...I need you to zip me up." said Rose.

Michael chuckled and walked over to her. He zipped up her dress and kissed her when she turned around.

Jason looked over and saw how attentive Michael was with Rose. He could tell that Michael felt strongly about the girl. Jason cleared his throat. "The doctor will be here soon to take a look at Michael. I am going to call a car to take you home Rose." said Jason.

Rose said "If it is okay...I'd really like to stay until I know that Michael is okay..."

Jason nodded and said "That is fine."

It didn't take long for the doctor to arrive and patch up Michael. Afterward Jason drove Rose home.

Michael got out of the car and walked Rose up to her door. "I am really sorry about how the night turned out…you know…the whole mugging thing…"

"I had a good time before and after…so I am just going to forget the mugging ever happened." Said Rose with a smile.

Michael leaned in and kissed her. "Good night Rosie…"

Rose smiled softly. "Good night Michael." She walked into the house and closed the door.

Michael walked back over to Jason's SUV and climbed inside. He put on his seatbelt and relaxed with a goofy grin on his face. "Tonight was a really good night." said Michael.


	10. Chapter 10

Michael spent the months of September and October getting adjusted to life at Madison Prep. The teasing from his classmates slowly died down but he still didn't have many friends. His circle of friends was limited to a few guys on the baseball team, Kristina, Rose, Taylor, and Ali. And that was enough for Michael. Michael spent most of his time focusing on school work, baseball practice, working out, and his girlfriend. Michael walked into Kelly's and took off his coat. He hung it over the back of his chair and went over to the counter. "Hi Grandpa Mike." said Michael with a smile. "Could I get two cups of hot chocolate and a couple of those double chocolate cookies oh and two of those really great turkey club sandwiches?" asked Michael.

Mike smiled seeing his grandson. "I haven't seen you around here in a couple of days. It is good to see you Michael. How is school?" asked Mike as he moved around behind the counter gathering Michael's order. The one good thing about working at Kelly's was that Mike got to see his grandchildren every week because they all made a habit of stopping into Kelly's for a meal or at least coffee.

"I am sorry about that. I've been really busy with school and baseball practice. I finally finished the last of my college applications last week. I didn't think I would ever get finished. I don't know what I was thinking applying to seven colleges. But I guess it is like dad says...sometimes it is best to hedge your bets. I am really lucky...everyone went out of their way to get letters of recommendation for me. The prosecutor, Claire, even managed to convince the judge to give me a letter of recommendation. The Quartermaine's pulled some strings to get a couple of Alumni recommendations for me for Columbia and NYU. I am starting to feel really optimistic about my chances of going to college." said Michael.

"I am glad to hear it. You've always been a smart boy and now you've turned into a smart young man. I know that no matter where you get accepted and ultimately choose to go to college you are going to set this world on fire and you are going to be a great role model for your little brother, sisters, and Molly. You are showing them that through adversity anything is possible as long as you don't give up. Your dad told me that you scored a 34 on the ACT and your SAT score had too many numbers for me to understand. What college do you want to go to the most?" said Mike setting Michael's order on the counter.

"Everyone is making such a big deal out of me going to college. I've made a lot of bad choices I am just trying to do the right thing now. Yeah I did really well on both tests. If I didn't have a felony conviction hanging over my head I would be the perfect candidate. But I am really lucky I have a lot of people who really love me and want to see me succeed. I really want to go to Columbia." said Michael he took out his wallet. "How much do I owe you?" asked Michael.

Mike smiled and said "It is a big deal. I never went to college you know...this is a really big deal. You are my grandson and I am proud of you. I am just sorry that I don't have any big name favors to call in to help you. Don't worry about paying for this. It is on me." Mike nodded towards the door. "It looks like your girlfriend is here. Tell her that I said hello." Mike had gotten to know Rose over the last couple of months since she met Michael there a couple of times a week to study.

"Edward might have called in favors for me but I don't see him nearly as much as I see you. You are my grandfather." Michael looked behind him and smiled seeing Rose walking over to their table. Michael waved at Rose. "Thanks Grandpa Mike." said Michael grabbing their order. He walked over to the table and said "So I ordered for us I hope you don't mind. Turkey club sandwiches, double chocolate chip cookies, and hot cocoa." Michael set the food down on the table and leaned over kissing her on the cheek. Michael had a seat across from her.

Rose smiled "Hi Michael. No, I don't mind at all. You know how much I love those turkey sandwiches your grandfather makes. They are delicious. Thank you for buying lunch." Rose reached up pulling her long hair into a ponytail. "I am so glad that we have the week off for Thanksgiving I am so tired of school right now. I am just glad that Volleyball is over for the year. Late August through early November is a long enough season for me." said Rose laughing. She picked up her cup of hot chocolate and drank some of it. "Oh this is so good. I haven't been able to figure out what he puts in this cocoa."

He chuckled and said "Well, at least it was a winning season. You guys made it to the regional playoffs before you were eliminated from the tournament. February can't get here soon enough. I am ready to start playing baseball. But you are right I am glad for this week vacation. And I don't even have that much homework to finish over the holiday which is nice. Did you get your last application in?" Michael started eating his sandwich. "Oh, Grandpa Mike puts a little heavy cream in the cocoa it makes it creamier."

Rose said "It is going to be freezing cold but I intend to be at every game you play. You came to all of my games. And I know that you had to be bored. Most people find volleyball to be a boring sport. Now hockey...that is a sport. Nothing like watching a good hockey brawl break out." She smiled. Michael had been really supportive. He had shown up to all of the home games.

Michael frowned and said "I didn't get to make it to your away games though." Michael nodded toward the leg where his electronic monitor was. Michael said "But my lawyer Diane has talked to the judge and my parole officer. As long as I am on a school trip and Dante is with me I am free to go to all of my games no matter where they are located. My schedule has already been submitted in advance so I shouldn't run into any problems." He chuckled. "I still can't believe that you like hockey. And volleyball wasn't boring the matches were fast paced."

"Michael don't be that way. You've been such a great boyfriend and even when you couldn't make it to the away games you were always waiting for me at the high school when we came back. That is a really good boyfriend." said Rose with a smirk. She leaned forward across the table and kissed him. "And you made it to the regional tournament which was one of the most important games of the year...that we lost...but still you were there and that is what counts. Hey, I am the only girl in my family that includes the extended family. I grew up with a bunch of guys that watched sports so I love sports. Hockey, basketball, football, soccer, and baseball." said Rose. She took a bite out of her sandwich. "So what is your family doing for Thanksgiving?" asked Rose.

Michael smiled. "You are a sweet girl...you know that?" asked Michael looking into her beautiful brown eyes. Sometimes he got lost looking into those dark orbs. "I don't know. I will probably just hang out or something. My mom and Jax are in the city with Morgan and Josslyn. They are spending a couple of days there and then they will go to the Macy's parade. And I am still not allowed to spend time with my father. But even if I could my dad is spending the holiday with his accountant Bernie and my grandfather Mike. I'll probably just watch football at Dante's place and order some pizza."

Rose bit her lip trying to think of a way to bring up what she wanted to ask him. "Michael...I was wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out on Thanksgiving. My mom has some medical conference in Rhode Island and my dad is already in Miami to spend some time with my grandfather, my younger brother Xavier is with him. I told him that I would stay behind...if I go to Miami I will not get any of my homework done...I don't have that sort of self-discipline."

Michael laughed and said "So why did you apply to Miami University if you can't concentrate in Miami." He jokingly said "Go on just admit it...you didn't want to be away from me for the holidays." Michael was joking around but he was actually pretty glad that Rose wasn't leaving for the holidays. He wasn't looking forward to the idea of being alone.

She laughed and said "Oh hush! I mean that if I am there visiting family and friends there is no way that I will focus on my work. But if I was going to school there then I wouldn't be missing them so I would be able to study. And well...I guess that I would miss you if I was gone for the entire week. I've enjoyed hanging out with you during the day this week."

Michel chuckled. "Fair enough, I would miss you too. Since we started dating I don't think we've been apart more than a day. Well, I don't have any plans for Thanksgiving so why don't you and I get together at your place. We can hang out and watch football. I might even cook for you."

"That sounds like a great plan to me." said Rose reaching over sliding her hand into Michael's. "Otherwise Thanksgiving was going to be incredibly lonely for me. My older brother Mateo, his wife, and kids are in Florida visiting Raina's family for Thanksgiving. So it will be just me and the boys." Rose sighed a little.

Michael raised an eyebrow seeing her sad expression. "What's wrong...there is something that you aren't saying." said Michael. He squeezed her hand a little. "You can tell me anything Rosie..."

"It is nothing really. My parents are choosing to spend Thanksgiving without one another. My dad could have easily went to the conference with my mom...my mom could have easily decided not to go to this conference...it is like lately they have been finding more reasons to be apart." said Rose.

He nodded in understanding. "I've been there more times then I'd like to count. My parents made a sport of getting together and breaking up again. It always starts off as little things...sometimes I think I knew they were breaking up before they knew...sometimes it would start with my dad waiting until really late at night to go to bed...or my mom taking me on some trip out of the blue..."

"I started noticing that things were different before we even left Miami. My dad really wanted to move here...running things out of New York was easier on him than traveling here from Miami on a regular basis...my mom didn't really want to move but I think my dad sold her on the idea of giving me a fresh start...my mom is really unhappy here. I think that...she's been hitting the bottle pretty hard lately. Which makes them argue a lot more...a couple of nights ago before my dad left for the holiday I had to get Xavier out of the main house because they were really going at it...yelling, screaming, name calling. I could hear stuff crashing against the walls. Xavier was so freaked out by it. And Mateo and his family are already gone for the holiday so it was just us. Xavier slept in the pool house with me and the boys." said Rose quietly.

"Oh baby...I'm sorry...you could have called me you know. I would have come over to make sure that you guys were okay." said Michael. "Sometimes these things work themselves out and sometimes they don't. And sometimes it is better that they don't. My parents were self-destructive...and as much as I'd like for my mom and dad to be together again. I know that it would just cause everyone a lot of misery and a lot of pain...I know you want your parents to work this out but..."

"I would have called you but it was sort of late to begin with. I figured you were probably asleep already. I would have been asleep if they weren't fighting. I know...maybe it is better that they don't work it out. This isn't the first time that their marriage has been...bad. My parents split when I was younger. My mom took me and left my older brothers with my dad. Sometimes I think the only reason that my mom went back to my dad is because...she was pregnant with Xavier. She needed my dad...so she went back." She shook her head. "Let's talk about something else please...anything else...I don't want to think about it right now."

Michael hated not being able to make her feel better. "Well, what do you want me to cook you for Thanksgiving? I am definitely the cook in the relationship. I'll make you anything you want baby. Is there anything special that Roman and Nicolas like to eat?" Over the last couple of months Michael had spent a great deal of time with Rose and her sons as well. He liked the little guys.

Rose laughed. "Hey, I can cook too...I just let you do all the work, because you look so cute when you cook. Besides I bring the Cuban flavor to the party. And the boys will eat whatever is there as long as it isn't spicy so if you make marinara again no red pepper flakes!"

Michael laughed and said "I've got Cuban flavor too. My dad's mother, Adela...she was Cuban. So maybe we will just cook together...I'll handle the Italian and you handle the Cuban...we'll have a fusion Thanksgiving meal. I've never been really big on tradition and the turkey and all of that anyway. We'll celebrate the holiday our way."

"I love that idea. I am going to cook circles around you Corinthos. My grandmother has a recipe for paella that is to die for...and you are going to love it. Not to mention that I make the best flan around. So what are you going to make?" said Rose with a grin.

"Paella and flan?" asked Michael with a smile. "Well, I am going to have to come up with something big to top that. I will have to come up with something that goes well with paella. But paella is pretty much its own meal."

Sonny walked into Kelly's and smiled seeing Michael. "Michael...how are you son?"said Sonny walking over to the table. "Hi Rose. How are you sweetheart?" asked Sonny.

"Dad? Is everything okay?" asked Michael wondering why Sonny was there. Michael still wasn't allowed to see Sonny and that was hard on him. But he liked that prospect better than going to jail. Michael stood up from the table and cast a worried glance around.

"Yes...everything is fine. I was coming to tell you that I spoke with Claire Walsh and she petitioned the court so that I can see you again...and it goes into effect today. You followed the rules of your parole thus far and this is your reward." said Sonny hugging his son. It did Sonny's heart good to be able to see his son. Parents weren't supposed to have favorites but Michael was definitely Sonny's favorite. He had a connection with Michael that he didn't have with any of his other children. He knew that was because he spent the most time with Michael. He was there for the majority of Michael's childhood.

Michael looked at Sonny shocked but returned the hug. "Dad that is...amazing. I thought that I wouldn't be able to spend time with you until I was done with my parole. I can't believe Claire did this for me. She was already so nice asking the judge to write a letter of recommendation to Columbia on my behalf."

Sonny smiled and said "Claire thinks that this is the right thing to do. She knows how hard you've been working to turn your life around and she feels as guilty as everyone else for you ending up in Pentonville. You didn't belong there. She can't right that wrong but she can do this. Claire is a really good person...and a good friend to have on our side. Since we can start spending time together I was wondering if you wanted to come over to spend Thanksgiving with me. I know your mom is taking your brother and sister to the city to see the parade."

Michael frowned slightly. "Oh...I thought you would be getting together with Bernie and Grandpa Mike over the holiday...I've sort of already made plans for the holiday." Michael glanced over at Rose.

Rose shook her head and said "Michael, don't be silly. You should totally spend Thanksgiving with your dad. I've got homework that I can be doing on that day anyway." She glanced at her watch. "I am going to head home but why don't we hang out later?" asked Rose as she stood up and put on her coat. She collected the rest of her half eaten lunch and walked over to Michael. She kissed him and said "I will see you later on...okay? It was nice seeing you Mr. Corinthos." Rose walked out of Kelly's quickly not giving Michael a real chance to protest.

"Rosie!" said Michael with a sigh. Michael didn't understand women one bit.

Sonny watched the young woman rush out of the Kelly's. He turned his attention to Michael. "Uh...what was that about?"

Michael had a seat at the table and said "I would really like to spend the holiday with you, dad, but uh...I already have plans with Rose for Thanksgiving. Her mom is going to some medical conference and her dad and younger brother are in Miami visiting family. So it is just going to be Nicolas, Roman, and Rose. I told her that I'd come over and spend the day with them. We are going to cook together...stuff like that. She's going to handle the Cuban food...I was going to take care of the Italian. She is going through a lot right now. I wouldn't feel right leaving her alone."

Sonny nodded in understanding. He had a seat at the table with Michael. "Well, then I have an alternative idea. Why don't you invite Rose and her sons over to the house? The more the merrier. Brenda will be there too. I'll make sure that it is a good Thanksgiving. I just want to spend a little time with you on Thanksgiving. Your safety, health, and freedom are the things that I am most thankful for this year..."

"Wow, thanks dad. That is really generous of you to invite Rose and her sons over. I don't see why she'd have a problem with that. But I'll talk to her and see what she thinks. Can I call you tonight and let you know the answer?" asked Michael. Michael smiled hearing what Sonny was thankful for. There had been times when Michael worried about Sonny loving him now that Dante was in the picture.

"What generous? She is your girlfriend. I want you to feel comfortable bringing her around me. I know you guys spend a lot of time together. And I know that you don't always have a place to spend time together." said Sonny. He chuckled a little. Jason had been keeping Sonny informed about Michael budding romance with Rose.

Michael laughed and said "Yeah there really isn't any privacy at Dante's place. So we only hang out there when Dante is at work. And even then there isn't much room for Rose's sons to play so we don't spend very much time at Dante's loft. Sometimes we go over to mom and Jax's house. But mom pops in to sit with us or talk so often we don't actually get to spend any time together. So a lot of the time we end up at Jason's penthouse but there are always a ton of people coming in and out over there. But we spend a lot of time together studying and hanging out. For awhile we were just in the same room together while we wrote essays."

"Yeah, that is what I have been hearing from your mom and Jason. But from what I hear your mother actually likes Rose a great deal. Count your blessings there son. Your mother doesn't like very many people. You two don't spend much time at her parents' house?" asked Sonny.

"I was actually a little surprised that mom liked her, especially when she found out that Rose has two sons. I am glad though because Rose is really important to me. I mean...I know we've only been dating for a couple months but I feel like...like I love her you know." said Michael. "Yeah, she never really wanted to hang at her own place. I didn't find out until today why she hasn't wanted to be at her own house. So I've had to be inventive...I've even asked Lucky to let us hang out at his place while he is at work. He's been really nice about it. We like Lucky's place best because there are fewer interruptions. Plus Nicolas and Roman really enjoy playing with the toys there. I haven't taken them over mom's house yet. I don't know if mom is ready for that. You know how she can be." said Michael.

Sonny smiled and said "Your first love? Well, it was bound to happen sometime son. You know Olivia was my first love and even though I've loved a lot of women since then. She still holds a special place in my heart. I am happy for you Michael. I am glad to see you living a normal life. I know that my life...my decisions have not always afforded you that opportunity and I am sorry for that."

"Dad you don't have anything to apologize to me for. My life is my own and I've made my own decisions. I've made a lot of mistakes and everyone has to stop blaming themselves. I went to prison because I saved the shirt that I was wearing when I killed Claudia. I went to prison because I was too stupid to keep my mouth shut when Dante approached me. And I was too stupid to plead the 5th when the judge questioned me on the stand. I made those choices for myself. And that is why I am where I am. And the sooner everyone realizes that...the happier everyone will be. I don't regret having you as my father I never could." said Michael.

Sonny listened to his son talk. "Michael, we forced you into a cover-up. You weren't stupid. You were a teenager...a kid. We were supposed to protect you and make everything alright for you and we didn't. You never talk about prison or what happened. You take everything on to yourself because you don't want anyone to feel guilty. You hide your true feelings from us because you are trying to protect us. And you've always been that way...even as a boy you were always trying to be strong and help your mother and me. Sometimes I think you raised us instead of the other way around."

Michael tensed when Sonny started talking about prison. "I am just not willing to let you or mom or Jason beat yourselves up. Everyone else does enough of that. I don't regret my life and I don't want anyone else regretting it for me because it pisses me off. It makes it seem like there is something wrong with me...something wrong with my life."

Sonny said "Fair enough Michael. I never looked at it that way. It is just as a father you aspire to give your children more. I never wanted you to suffer the pains of my life. I never wanted you to suffer under the weight of my sins. When I first met you...I had just come back from being gone for awhile...and Jason was raising you. And he told me that he named you Michael after me...and the first time I held you in my arms I knew you were special and I knew that I would love you...always. I wanted to give you everything this world had to offer."

"And you have, dad. I have had every opportunity in the world. Maybe my life has been filled with danger but it has also been filled with happiness and love. I have more love in my life than some people have in a lifetime. I've got a great family, I am going to college, I have a great girlfriend...I am happy dad...I am really happy." said Michael. "But I want to catch up with Rose and ask her about joining us for Thanksgiving."

Sonny smiled to himself. It always surprised him just how much Michael had grown up. His son was no longer a little boy he was a man now. Sonny nodded and said "Alright, why don't you come by later for dinner and the two of us can catch up? Brenda will be there too."

Michael nodded. "Sure I'd like that dad." Michael stood up putting on his coat. "What time should I come over for dinner?" asked Michael throwing away the trash from his meal.

"How about 8:00?" asked Sonny.

Michael nodded and said "Okay I will be there at 8:00. Bye dad." Michael walked out of Kelly's and walked around to his car. Twenty minutes later Michael arrived at Rose's parents' house. He knocked on the door.

Rose looked out of the peephole seeing Michael. She opened the door. "Michael what are you doing here? I thought you were going to hang out with your dad." said Rose.

Michael chuckled and said "I never said that because you didn't give me a chance to. You ran out of Kelly's like you were on fire. Can I come in?" Michael smirked since he was still standing outside.

Rose laughed a little and nodded. "Sure come in." Rose moved out of the way and let Michael into the house. She closed the door behind him and said "I am sorry for running off I just didn't want you missing out on time with your dad because we made some silly plans."

Michael lightly grabbed her hand and said "Hey, our plans are not silly. I want to spend Thanksgiving with you. And we still can spend it together if you want to. My dad actually thought it would be a good idea if I invited you and the boys over to his house for Thanksgiving. And he is the one that came up with the idea not me. So...are you in or out?"

"Michael...I don't want your family feeling like I am monopolizing your time. We spend so much time together already. I just don't think it is right for me to interfere with your holiday plans with your dad..." said Rose.

"You are not interfering. It will be better for you to be there. If you aren't then I would just be thinking about you. I'd be calling to check on you. And in the end I would probably leave his house early so that I could come over here to spend time with you...so two birds and one stone...besides…you know that you want to spend time with me too." said Michael with a smirk.

She laughed softly and asked "How am I supposed to say no to a smile like that?" Rose tried to stop herself from grinning like a fool. No one had ever made her feel like Michael made her feel.

"You don't..." said Michael with a chuckle."I will let my dad know that you and the boys will be joining us for Thanksgiving dinner. And since my dad is cooking we don't even have to do any work."

Rose laughed and said "Oh shut up. That will be cool...though I think it will be weird hanging out with your dad…"

Michael chuckled and said "Not to mention world renowned model and humanitarian Brenda Barrett will be there. It doesn't mean much to be but apparently you girls go crazy for that type of thing. Krissy and Molly are so excited that dad is dating Brenda."

"Well, I am not really into fashion. But I think that she's really beautiful. I mean you can't pass a magazine without seeing her face. Your mom still hates her though right?" asked Rose chuckling.

Michael shook his head. "Hate isn't the word. She doesn't like to talk to me about it because I am her kid but I see the way she looks at Brenda...like she wants to destroy her. Where are the boys?"

Rose smiled and said "They are taking a nap in the guest room right now but they should be up soon." Rose took his hand pulling him over to couch. "So what do you think of Brenda?" asked Rose curling up on the couch with Michael.

Michael put an arm around Rose and shrugged. "I don't know what I think about her. Sometimes I wonder if my dad isn't with her just to drive my mother insane. He knows that Brenda pushes her buttons like no one else does. I just keep waiting for mom to do something crazy. And she will at some point because that is who my mother is…she has been fighting with my step-father non-stop about Brenda…" This had been stressing Michael out for awhile. He was just waiting for the fireworks to begin and that worried him.

Rose could see the worry on Michael's face. She didn't know what to say to him because she knew he had good reason to be worried. "Maybe everything will work out…the way it is supposed to…"

Michael chuckled and said "Or maybe it will turn out to be the disaster that I know it will be. My parents…they give me little hope for future happiness. At times they are both such miserable people…and they are miserable by design…chemically. I don't want to talk about them…

"I don't know, Michael. Maybe seeing their unhappiness can be a guide to show you how to avoid their mistakes…okay what do you want to talk about?" said Rose.

Michael kissed her and smiled looking into her eyes. "I've been thinking about college a lot...the school year is going so fast I never thought that I would say that...but soon we'll graduate." Michael was worried that if they went to different colleges that he would end up losing her. For the first time in his life Michael felt like he was leading a normal life. When he was with her he was happy and his issues didn't seem so large in the scheme of things. Michael was still working on controlling his rage but it was getting much better. Jason's advice about working out had been a life saver.

Rose said "Michael...we have months to worry about that. We don't graduate until May...we can always keep in touch with one another...date long distance?" Rose felt the same fears that Michael did. She finally found a person that she felt connected to and she didn't want to go to college and lose that person.

Michael said "We'll have to choose what colleges we are going to before then. The acceptance letters will start arriving in a couple of months. I don't know if I am going to get accepted anywhere...but if I do...I don't want to lose you. Rose you are the only girl that I've ever loved. And I do love you...you know that right?" Michael felt nervous telling her that he loved her. He knew that it could scare her off but that was how he truly felt.

Rose was stunned hearing Michael say that he loved her. Rose was a quiet for a minute. "I love you too Michael...I love you a lot. But what are you saying?" Rose looked into his eyes wondering if he was saying what she thought he was saying.

Michael smiled and was relieved to hear that Rose loved him too. He had been worried about rejection. Michael said "I was thinking maybe...we could choose our college together..." Michael looked into her eyes hoping that she would agree with him.

Rose said "Well, we both applied to: NYU, Columbia, William and Mary, and Vassar. What is your top choice? I mean out of everywhere...where do you want to go the most?" Rose grabbed a notepad and two pens from the end table drawer. "You write down your top two choices and I will write down my top two choices." Rose handed him a pen and piece of paper. "No peeking!" said Rose. She turned away and started writing.

Michael laughed and said "This is ridiculous!" Michael turned in the other direction and started writing. He wrote his two choices down and folded the paper. "Okay now what?" asked Michael turning to look at her.

Rose turned to look at Michael and folded her paper too. "Okay...now we exchange the papers." said Rose. She handed him her piece of paper and held out her hand for his.

Michael shook his head and said "This is crazy...I hope you know this." he chuckled. It was her little quirks that made him love her so much. Michael handed her his piece of paper. He opened hers and smiled seeing what she had written. "Columbia and Vassar?" asked Michael with a grin. Michael was relieved that Columbia was her top choice.

Rose opened his piece of paper and laughed. "Columbia and NYU?" asked Rose laughing quietly. "So Columbia is your top choice...?" asked Rose.

Michael nodded and said "I like Columbia a lot. I really enjoyed the tour that I took there. And Columbia is your top choice?"

Rose nodded and said "Well, Columbia does have a really nice political science program and they do have a pre-law curriculum. Which I think will be a great foundation for me going to law school at some point. And I do like the city." said Rose thinking it over. "Why do you love Columbia?"

"Well, for one it is in the city. I love being in the city and that means that I wouldn't be too far away from home I could come and visit. Secondly, they have a great Business Management program." said Michael. Michael smirked at her. "You know NYU also has a pre-professional curriculum for law..."

Rose laughed softly and said "So you are trying to convince me to go to NYU if we both get accepted?" Rose had to admit to herself that it wasn't really a bad idea. She didn't want to be away from Michael either and if they went to the same college they could continue dating.

"No...I just think that maybe...we might both be happy together at Columbia or NYU...and I think I have a better chance getting into NYU...but even if you decide to go to Columbia we'd still be in the city together...maybe get a place together...I don't want to be without you...I know that much." said Michael. He interlaced their fingers and looked at her. "You can tell me no Rose. I won't get angry with you or have some rage tantrum..."

Rose shook her head and kissed him. "I think that is the best idea I've ever heard Michael. But if we tell our parents they are going to flip. They are going to say that we haven't known one another long enough to make this kind of decision...that we are too young. That we are making a mistake...they are not going to take this lying down..."

"Who says that we have to tell them anything until the acceptance letters come in. That'll be a couple more months and then we can tackle telling them what we are doing. The best thing about all of this is that by the time we graduate...we will both be 19 years old. We are adults and we can do whatever we want to do. And they can huff and puff...but they can't make us do anything." said Michael. "So are you in?"

"Oh baby...I am in!" said Rose hugging him tightly. She paused and said "You do know that the boys we will be living with us right?"

Michael chuckled. "Well, I didn't expect you to leave Nicolas and Roman with your parents. They are your kids...where else would they be? I've been getting to know them these last couple of months and I will continue to spend time with them. Rosie we can do this...I know it..."

"I believe you Michael...I really do. We are going to do this...our parents are going to be pissed." said Rose laughing. She snuggled against him on the couch.

Michael wrapped his arm around her. "Yeah they are going to be pissed. I think that is half of the fun. But we are old enough to make our own decisions..." he kissed the top of her head and relaxed. For the first time in a long time Michael felt like everything was going to be okay. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

Rose smiled and said "Sure." She grabbed the remote and handed it to him. "I picked the last movie. You can choose this one."

Michael smiled taking the remote. He flipped through the channels leisurely and chuckled as he stopped on The Godfather. "We've got to watch this..." said Michael chuckling.

"This is one of my favorite movies. I can never stop laughing when the guy wakes up with the horse head in his bed. Literally, that is the funniest moment in the movie."

Michael laughed and said "You are sick you know that right? But then I guess I am sick too because I've always found the scene funny too. Now that is an offer you can't refuse." Michael set the remote down and watched the movie with her comfortably on the couch.

About an hour into the movie Rose had drifted off to sleep on the couch with Michael.

Michael headed to Sonny's house later that night for dinner. Michael parked in front of Sonny's house. Michael took out his cell phone and called Kristina. "Hey Krissy...I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with Dad, Brenda, and me tonight. I need you to do this favor for me."

"Sure! But why do you need me to be there?" asked Kristina confused. "And I thought that you weren't supposed to see Dad...because of your parole..."

"Because Dad and Brenda are going to want to talk to me and I don't know what to say...and if I have to carry a conversation by myself for a couple of hours...I will be miserable...you owe me one...well Claire Walsh petitioned the judge to have that restriction removed. I can see dad again." said Michael.

"Oh! That is great Michael!" Kristina laughed and said "Okay okay...what time should I be over there for dinner?"

"Now! I just got here to Dad's house and I need you here now!" said Michael laughing.

"Okay give me like 30 minutes and I will be there. I'll see you soon Michael." said Kristina.

"Okay...bye Krissy and thanks." said Michael hanging up. As he got out of the car Sonny opened the front door. "Hi dad." said Michael.

"Right on time. Dinner will be ready in awhile. Come on inside." said Sonny with a smile as he walked back into the house and into the kitchen.

Michael followed Sonny into the kitchen and watched him cook dinner. "Dinner smells great Dad...what are you making?" asked Michael.

"I am making lasagna. You've always liked that right?" asked Sonny. This was his first time spending time with his son in months so he wanted to make Michael's favorite dish.

Michael smiled and said "Yeah I love that. Thanks dad. So where is Brenda?"

"Brenda is actually with Robin right now but she should be here soon. Max called and said that they would be leaving in another ten minutes. Thank you for coming over to dinner tonight Michael. It's been hard not being able to see you and talk to you. I hated having to find out about your life from other people." said Sonny.

Michael nodded. "I hated that too dad. I am just glad that it is over with. I miss being able to talk to you about stuff. So are things with Brenda serious?"

Sonny nodded and said "Yeah, I guess you could say that they are pretty serious. I mean I love her a great deal and I have for a very long time. I mean don't get me wrong you know I love your mom too."

"No, I understand it is just different...besides you and mom aren't exactly the best for one another. I get it...trust me." said Michael.

"So what do you think of Brenda? I know that you've met her a few times being over at Jason's place..." said Sonny. He wanted his kids to like Brenda that was important to him. That was one thing he could say about Carly she loved Kristina and Molly and that had always been important to him. "Do you think Kristina, Morgan, and Molly will like Brenda?" Sonny knew that Michael was close to all of them.

"Uh...I don't know. I guess I don't really have an opinion about her. I mean I've met her a couple of times and she has always been really nice to me. She always wants to know if there is anything she can do to help. There usually isn't...I am usually there just to get advice from Jason or talk to him about something...but no I mean I think Brenda is a nice person." said Michael as he finished putting away the groceries. "Well, Krissy and Molly are already excited that you are dating this really famous model. So I think both of them will be great with Brenda. And Morgan...you know he pretty much likes everyone. He's a great kid. I am glad that you mentioned Krissy actually...I invited her over for dinner...she should be here...really soon. I hope you don't mind."

Sonny quirked an eyebrow at his son. "I feel like there is a but in there somewhere..." said Sonny. "Well, I was thinking about maybe having like dinner or something and inviting all of you over so that you can all sort of get to know Brenda..." "Of course it is fine that you invited Kristina..." said Sonny.

"I don't know if there is a but...just that I don't really know her yet. But what I do know about her I know that she is nice and I know that you love her. And she makes you happy and that is all I want for you, dad. I want you to be happy. I want mom to be happy. I want to be happy. We could all use a little happiness." said Michael. Michael said "As far as dinner with Brenda goes...I don't know if you are going to get mom to say yes to Morgan coming over but I will be there."

Sonny said "Your mom? Is she happy?" Sonny wondered if there was something going on with Carly that he didn't know about. He might not be with his ex-wife but he still loved her. "Thank you for supporting me with this thing with Brenda. It means a lot son."

"I don't know...mom is okay. At least she tells me that she is okay but you know having Brenda in town is hard on her. She feels like she is in some sort of strange competition with her because the three guys in her life are dedicating their time to protecting Brenda. I think it makes her crazy that Jax can't just stay out of it and that she has to run into Brenda when she wants to see Jason. And of course you getting serious with Brenda is driving her crazy because that means that even after this Balkan thing is over with...Brenda will probably be staying in Port Charles ...which is like her worse nightmare or something. Anyway all of this is just hard on mom. I've been trying to spend more time with her...maybe keep her out of trouble." said Michael. He was a little worried because Carly was no longer showing any anger towards Dante and that always made him worry. Carly had yet to get her revenge on Dante it wasn't like her to just forgive and forget. And her plan to get him to cheat on Lulu had fallen through.

Sonny hated seeing how their lives twisted up Michael. "Michael...you know...your mother and I are adults and we are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves. You don't have to always worry about the two of us you know...?"

Michael didn't know how to respond to that without hurting Sonny's feelings. "Sometimes I look at you and mom like a train wreck. Two trains speeding down the same track about to collide into one another. And I feel like if I am not there...or if Jason is not there to throw the switch to change the tracks...the two of you are just going to pulverize one another."

"We are your parents but somehow...you always end up taking care of us and I am sorry for that Michael. You should be able to be a kid...or young man and not have to worry about your parents...maybe I should talk to Carly." said Sonny.

"For what? You know she isn't going to admit to anything. Mom would rather burn down her life and yours too than to admit that she feels hurt or insecure...you are my parents and I love both of you and I just don't want to watch either of you destroy one another..." said Michael shrugging his shoulders.

"Your mother and I love one another. I will always love Carly...and Carly loves me too. I know that if I am ever in a jam Carly will go to the brink and even further to help me. Things are strained between us right now but we will get better. You don't have to be worried about us...okay...you just try to enjoy your life...maybe Carly and I need to do a better job of...protecting you from our lives..."

Brenda walked into the kitchen and smiled at Sonny and Michael. "Hi Michael. It is really nice to see you." said Brenda with a bright smile. She went over to hug him but saw Sonny shake his head. Brenda stood back some and said "I am really glad that you are here for dinner tonight. You and your siblings mean so much to your dad...I just want to get to know all of you guys."

Michael said "Hi Brenda. That is great...I'd like to get to know you too. Thanks to both of you for having me over for dinner tonight."

Sonny hugged Brenda and said "You know what you two...dinner is almost ready why don't both of you go have a seat at the table and I will bring in dinner when it is finished."

Brenda smiled and said "Alright." She grabbed the bottle of wine and the glasses for Sonny and herself and walked to the dining room. She had a seat. "So Michael...Sonny tells me that you are on the baseball team? That is just amazing. And I am so excited about meeting your girlfriend tomorrow on Thanksgiving" said Brenda.

Michael followed Brenda into the dining room and had a seat at the table. "Yeah, I tried out for the team and I play short-stop. The season doesn't really start for a couple of months. Oh, yeah well Rose and I were going to spend the holiday together and when dad invited me over he said that I should invite Rose and her sons too."

"That is really great. Your dad and I will have to come to some of your games. I don't know anything about you uh but I don't want to ask twenty questions or something like that. So why don't you tell me something about you?" asked Brenda.

Michael looked at his watch and held back a sigh. This was what he had been afraid of. He wondered where Kristina could be.

As if on cue Kristina walked into the dining room taking off her coat. "Hi Michael!" said Kristina.

Michael stood up and went over to his sister. He hugged her and whispered. "Thank you!" "Krissy this is dad's girlfriend Brenda Barrett." said Michael.

Kristina grinned and walked over to Brenda. "Ms. Barrett it is so nice to meet you. I think that you are just amazing. I mean you are not only like incredibly beautiful but you are also this really kind hearted person that does charity work for people that are less fortunate. Traveling to all of those countries has to be amazing right?" Kristina had a seat next to Brenda at the table.

Sonny walked into the room carrying dinner. "Kristina I am happy that you are here sweetheart. Everyone enjoy dinner." Sonny had a seat on the other side of Brenda.

For the rest of the evening Kristina kept Brenda busy talking about modeling, charity, and how she met Sonny. Michael and Sonny talked every once in awhile but mostly the two ladies ran the show. After dinner and dessert Michael hugged Sonny. "I am going to head home for the night dad it is pretty late. Thanks for having me over for dinner..."

Sonny said "Thank you for coming Michael. I really want to start spending more time with you. You are always welcome here...you know that...I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks dad...goodnight." said Michael. Michael walked over to Kristina. "You are the best Krissy I don't know what I would do without you." said Michael with a grin.

"I had fun talking to Brenda...call me anytime!" said Kristina hugging Michael.

Michael chuckled and said "I will.' Michael left and headed back to Dante's loft for the night. He knew he had a long day ahead of him.

* * *

The next evening Michael and Rose arrived at Sonny's house at 5:00. They were right on time for dinner. Michael hadn't wanted to get there too early because he was concerned about awkward conversation. Michael looked over at Rose and saw the nervousness on her face. He smiled warmly at her and said "I know that you are worried about this but it isn't really a big deal. We are just going to have dinner with my dad and Brenda and spend a little time with them afterward and then I promise we will get out of here." Michael lightly rested his hand on her cheek. "Okay?" asked Michael.

Rose nodded and said "I am just nervous but you are right it is just dinner. How bad can it really be? Besides it is dinner, there should be a lot more chewing than talking. And don't worry if Brenda Barrett starts asking you too many questions I will start the Spanish Inquisition and ask her about all of her good deeds. Kristina said that she couldn't stop talking last night."

Michael's face lit up. "That's my girl." said Michael. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "You talked to Krissy last night?"

Rose laughed softly and said "Yes, I talked to Kristina last night. She called me after she made it home last night. She told me all about Brenda. She figured that it would help me for tonight. She is just sad that she couldn't be here today. But you know Alexis is having Thanksgiving dinner at her house and apparently they invited the Commissioner."

Michael laughed and said "Kristina and Molly are set on hooking up Mac and Alexis. Mac is a good guy I guess it is a good thing. Okay let's get out of here before one of the guards tell my father that we are here and have not come inside yet." said Michael laughing. Michael took off his seatbelt and climbed out of the passenger side of the car. He walked to the back door and opened it. "Hey, Nicky! Let's go inside so that we can eat eat." said Michael tickling the little boy's stomach. Michael unbuckled Nicolas from his car seat and lifted him out of the car. Michael grabbed the bag with the boys' toys in it.

Rose got out of the car taking in a deep breath and opened the back door. She unbuckled Roman and picked him up. Rose kissed the top of his head and said "This is going to be fun!" Although, Rose was trying to convince herself not her son. Rose closed the car door and walked around to the other side to meet up with Michael. "I can carry both boys if you can get their booster seats from the back." said Rose.

Michael shook his head. "I will get the three of you settled inside and then I will come back for their booster seats." Michael fished in his pocket for his keys when the front door opened.

Sonny smiled and said "Happy Thanksgiving! Come inside it is freezing out there."

"Happy Thanksgiving Dad. Thank you for having us over." said Michael walking into the house with Rose and the kids. Michael closed the door behind them.

"Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Corinthos." said Rose.

Sonny smiled when Brenda walked into the foyer with them. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too Rose but you can just call me Sonny. Rose I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend. Brenda Barrett."

Brenda smiled brightly. "Happy Thanksgiving Rose!" said Brenda in a cheerful voice. "Oh my gosh these little boys are so adorable."

Michael set Nicolas on the ground and kneeled down to take off the little boy's coat. "There we go Nicky. I know you hate that coat." said Michael hanging up Nicolas' coat. Michael took off his own coat and hanged it up as well. Michael looked down to make sure that his black slacks weren't wrinkled. Michael wasn't big on dry cleaning. Michael turned to Rose and said "Here let me help you with Roman's coat." Michael took of Roman's coat and hanged it up as well and took him from Rose's arms setting him on his feet. "Uh dad...these are Roses' sons Roman and Nicolas. Roman has on the gray sweater and Nicolas has on the black sweater."

Rose said "Thanks Michael he was getting heavy." Rose took off her own coat to reveal a black sleeveless dress with a turquoise paisley print. Rose handed Michael the car keys.

Michael said "Uh, I need to go get their booster seats out of the car. I will be back in a minute." Michael kissed Rose's cheek and walked back out of the house.

Sonny smiled looking at the two little boys. "Well, hello little guys. How old are they?"

"They actually turned three years old earlier this month. They tend to be pretty shy around new people." said Rose since her sons were pretty much clinging to her at the moment.

Sonny said "Why don't we all go into the living room and have a seat. Dinner will be ready to be served in awhile." Sonny led the way to the living room holding Brenda's hand. Sonny poured himself a drink and had a seat in one of the armchairs in the room.

Rose smiled and said "Okay." Rose took Roman and Nicolas' hands and walked with them to the living room. Rose had a seat on the couch and picked up Roman and Nicolas sitting them on her lap.

Michael walked into the room a moment later. "I was wondering where everyone went to." said Michael setting the booster seats down. He walked over to Rose and had a seat next to her.

"Mikey!" said Nicolas with a grin. He scooted off of his mother's lap and onto Michael's lap.

Michael chuckled and said "Hey buddy." Michael ruffled his hair.

Brenda asked "I hope you two don't mind me asking but how did you meet one another?"

Michael said "Uh we met at school. Rose was new to Madison Prep just like I was so she sat with me and we just started hanging out after that...we could be misfits together. Sort of our own Breakfast club."

"Misfits? You both look like a slice of Americana." asked Brenda incredulously.

"Well, my life is a train wreck...coma boy, felon, you know the story...the people at Madison Prep weren't really interested in being friends with me. They were more interested in teasing me and starting fights with me." said Michael.

"And I am a teenage mother and I am ethnic...and there aren't many ethnic people at the school. I actually had one girl ask me if I was on scholarship. We are like the poster children for what not to be. But I happen to think that we are both pretty awesome." said Rose with a small chuckle.

"So Michael your dad told me that you wearing applying to college. That has to be exciting. What do you want to major in at college?" asked Brenda.

"I want to major in business management and finance. I think those two areas are the best for me and what I want to do in the future. I will probably want to get my MBA after I finish undergraduate." said Michael.

"Oh really? So you want to be what a CEO when you are older?" asked Brenda.

Michael had to stop himself from laughing. He bit the inside of his cheek and looked at Rose for a moment. "Sure...something like that. I really want to be the boss." said Michael.

Rose looked at Michael and tried not to laugh at his play on words. Rose smiled at Michael. "I think you'd make a great boss."

Sonny definitely caught the inside joke and looked between the two of them.

"Well, that is wonderful. Michael, I am sure that you are just going to make everyone so proud. I was talking to Edward a few days ago and he just went on and on about how proud of you he is, especially since you are going to go to college." said Brenda.

"Well, I realized that I really needed an education to do what I want to do. I think college would be good for me. Besides, my mom really wants to me to experience that normal life style thing and going to college is all about that. I am hoping to get into Columbia or NYU. I want to sort of live in the city and experience all of that." said Michael.

"Oh, living in New York is fun. I lived there for a time I am sure that you will really enjoy yourself. So, Rose what do you do you think your major will be?" asked Brenda.

Rose smiled at the relieved look on Michael's face when Brenda moved onto Rose. "I want to major in political science. A few of the schools I've applied to have a pre-professional concentration in pre-law. I want to go to law school after I get my bachelor's degree."

"So what school do you want to go to?" asked Brenda. She was really interested in hearing about Michael and Rose and what they wanted to do with their lives. She could remember being their age and thinking that the world had so many possibilities. Although she could have never anticipated the twists and turns her life had taken her on.

Rose looked at Michael not sure if she should tell the truth or not. She knew what they had decided yesterday but they both had reservations about their parents finding out about their plans.

Michael said "Well, we weren't going to tell anyone this until the acceptance letters came in...but it is interesting that you brought that up...Rose and I have been talking and if we both get accepted to Columbia we think we both want to go to Columbia. It's a really good school, we both love the city, and we want to be able to continue dating. My top two choices for schools are Columbia and NYU. Rose is a shoe in for Columbia. Even if I don't get into Columbia I am pretty sure I will get into NYU so we will still be in the city together."

Sonny was a little stunned and spoke up for the first time since they had all sat down. "That...is quite a decision son..." said Sonny."I know that you two care about one another but...you are both very young to make such a complicated decision..." Sonny was trying to phrase his thoughts in a way that didn't offend either of them.

"All due respect Sonny...we don't think that it is such a big decision. Columbia was my top choice even before I knew that it was Michael's top choice. We applied to schools that we loved. We decided that we didn't want to try out long distance dating. We want to be in the same city...we want to see each other on a regular basis." said Rose.

"Knowing Rose has made my life better...happier. I don't want to lose that just because we are going to college. I know that nothing is guaranteed and there is a chance that we could break up at anytime...but I am willing to take that chance. I think she is worth it." said Michael looking at Rose. "We've already thought of all of your arguments...we are young, we might change our minds, we haven't been dating that long. It might be a mistake but it is our mistake to make."

Sonny looked at his watch and said "Michael the turkey should be ready to come out of the oven...why don't you come with me and help." Sonny stood up and smiled at the women. "You two can meet us in the dining room..."

Michael nodded and said "Sure." Michael kissed Rose's cheek and smiled at her. "It'll be okay babe." said Michael. He followed Sonny to the kitchen.

Rose sighed a little trying not to be upset. The storm was already starting. Rose stood up and said "Come on boys..."

Brenda walked over to Rose seeing the young woman's nervousness. "Sonny will come around. He loves Michael and if this is really what Michael wants...he is going to support him in this. I've known Sonny a very long time and he'd do anything for Michael...absolutely anything. Do you need help with the booster seats?" Brenda picked up the two seats and walked with Rose to the dining room.

"I just don't want them to argue. Michael is just getting to see his dad again. This was supposed to be a happy day...I feel like maybe I shouldn't have come here." Rose smiled a little. "Thanks...sure I could use some help." Rose grabbed Nicolas and Roman's hands and walked to the dining room. She smiled watching Brenda set the booster seats up. Rose got the boys settled in their booster seats and had a seat at the table.

"Michael obviously cares about you a great deal. I have a feeling that he wouldn't be very happy if you weren't here." said Brenda.

Sonny and Michael stood in the kitchen across the island from one another. Sonny said "Son, you are young...very young and you have been through so much. Are you sure about this?"

"I love Rose and she loves me. And when we are together we are happy and life doesn't seem so bad. When we are together we can shut out all of the drama in our lives. The drama of her parents. The drama of my parents. All of the bad stuff that has happened to us...we can put it out of our minds and we focus on one another and we focus on her sons and we are happy. You should want that for me dad...we knew that we were going to catch flack for this but we don't care because this is what we want to do and there is absolutely nothing that any of you can do to stop us or change our minds. So you can get behind this...or you can be against us but it doesn't matter dad. I am not going to stand here and defend my choices." said Michael. "I'll be at the table." said Michael walking out of the kitchen with a couple of dishes in his arms. He set them on the table in the dining room. He had a seat next to Rose and kissed her cheek. He put an arm over her shoulder.

"Are you okay Michael?" asked Rose in a quiet voice.

"Yup I am fine." said Michael. Michael had said what he had to say and he wasn't upset or anything.

"I hope you don't mind that I set Roman over by you. I am hoping that they won't make too much of a mess here at your dad's house." said Rose laughing.

Michael chuckled and said "It is fine...and even if they do make a mess it will be fine. Dad is used to having kids tear through here."

A few minutes later the rest of the dishes were on the table. Sonny came in with the turkey and smiled. "Michael...why don't you do the honors..."said Sonny looking at his soon. He offered him the fork and carving knife.

"Are you serious?" asked Michael a little shocked.

Sonny nodded and said "Of course...get over here..." Sonny smiled at his son.

Michael got up and walked over to Sonny.

Sonny hugged him and said "I'm on your side...your mom is going to hit the roof...but I'm on your side. I love you son."

Michael hugged him tightly. "I love you too, dad...thank you." Michael pulled back and said "Okay this is my first time carving a turkey...so...here goes." Michael started carving the turkey and soon enough had enough carved up for everyone at the table. Michael walked over and had a seat with Rose.

She kissed his cheek. "You did a great job babe. I would have just hacked the thing to pieces...I was definitely not meant to be a surgeon."

The dishes started being passed around the table and everyone started eating.

Michel chuckled and said "Roman let's not get cranberry sauce all over your sweater."

Rose laughed and said "That is why I brought a change of clothes for both of them. I knew this would happen. Trying to keep three year olds clean is not very easy."

Brenda laughed and said "I can only imagine."

The six of them enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner together. After dinner they talked and watched Roman and Nicolas play for awhile. At one point Michael and Sonny were actually on the floor playing with the boys. After awhile it was finally starting to get late. Rose and Michael got the boys ready to go. Michael said "Dad, we've got to get these guys home. They are falling asleep." Michael was holding a sleeping Nicolas in his arms.

Sonny nodded and said "Well, let me walk you out. I can carry Roman if you'd like."

Rose said "Oh that would be great." Rose gently handed Roman over to Sonny and grabbed the bag with their toys in it. She grabbed one of the booster seats that Michael was trying to carry along with Nicolas.

They all headed out to Rose's car and Sonny and Michael got the boys buckled into their car seats. Rose put the booster seats in the back of the car.

Brenda walked over and hugged Rose. "It was really nice to meet you Rose. I hope that you guys will come over again soon." said Brenda.

Rose said "it was nice to meet you too Brenda. Maybe we will."

Sonny hugged Michael. "Thank you for spending Thanksgiving with me son. I enjoyed having all of you here..."

"Thanks for inviting us we had a really good time..." said Michael.

After everyone said their goodbyes Michael and Rose left and headed back to her house.


	11. Chapter 11

The next three months were filled with struggles for Michael and Rose. Rose's parents separated the week before Christmas and her mother left for rehab. Then Michael and Rose had gone on the ski trip together which had ended in disaster and with the death of Ali. Michael had also had a hard time when he ran into a guard from Pentonville. The interaction with the guard had brought back a lot of bad memories from his stay in prison. It was at that time that he finally admitted to his family that he had been raped in prison. Michael was in counseling and was slowly dealing with the trauma that he had experienced. Michael and Rose were trying to keep themselves positive so they spent a lot of time together and also spent time hanging out with Kristina, Taylor, Molly, Morgan, and Rose's younger brother Xavier. Michael was also working part-time at ELQ. Tonight was supposed to be a night filled with love at Sonny and Brenda's wedding and it had been until her limo exploded into flames.

Rose was sitting in the middle of her bed staring at the television but she wasn't really paying attention. Tonight had been a horrible night and she was worried about so many things and so many people but most importantly she was worried about Michael. It was three o'clock in the morning and she hadn't heard from him in hours. Her cell phone started ringing and she quickly answered it. "Michael? Are you okay?" asked Rose feeling her heart beat just a little faster as she waited for his answer.

Michael was sitting in his car outside of her house. Tonight had been one of the worst nights of his life and he knew the days that followed would only become harder. "No...I'm not..." said Michael in a strained voice. "I am sorry...I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm outside...I'd really like to see you right now. I know that it is late but I don't know where else to go." Michael didn't have anyone else to turn to at the moment. His father was frantically searching for Brenda. Jason was sitting at the hospital waiting to find out if Sam was going to be okay. And Michael knew that if he went to his mother she might just make the situation worse, because she would want to fix it and right now...she couldn't.

"No, it is fine Michael. I couldn't sleep I've been worried about everyone. Just walk around the back...I'll unlock the door for you." said Rose. Rose could hear the anguish in Michael's voice and wondered just how bad things had gotten since she came home earlier. Rose went to the door and stood there waiting on Michael. She crossed her arms over her chest shivering as the wind whipped around her pajama clad body. Rose kept replaying the explosion in her head, it all seemed like a nightmare to her.

"Thanks..." said Michael. Michael ended the call and got out of the car carrying a bag from a local gas station. He walked around the large house to get to the guesthouse. He smiled a little seeing Rose standing at the door waiting for him. Michael walked into the guest house closing the door behind him. Michael set the bag on the coffee table and then he hugged her tightly for a few minutes not saying anything at all. "I need to tell you something..." whispered Michael.

"You can tell me anything Michael..." said Rose in a quiet voice. "What's wrong?" asked Rose looking up at him. "Is there news on Brenda...?" Her eyes searched his worriedly.

Michael shook his head. "We don't know where she is...and Sam still in the hospital. She is stable right now. I stopped at a gas station...and when I came out there was a picture stuck under my windshield wiper. It was a picture of the guy Carter that...raped me in prison. I caught the license plate of the car that sped away from the gas station as I was coming out. I paid off the clerk in the gas station to let me look at the surveillance video and saw that the driver of the car that I saw speeding away was the same guy that left the picture on my car. I want to kill him...I want to kill him Rose...I want to make him suffer the way that I suffered." Michael had tears in his eyes. His entire body was tense he could feel the rage surging through his body.

Rose pulled back and looked into his eyes. She could see the hate there. She could see the rage that was coursing through him and she knew what that could lead to. "I know that you want to kill him...but what are the chances that this is some lackey that Franco paid to ruffle your feathers. This guy probably doesn't even know the significance of what that picture means...killing him will gain you nothing and risk everything. You want revenge and you deserve to have your revenge...but not like this...not with some random guy...the only satisfaction that can ever come is by Franco burning in hell...right?" Rose searched his eyes.

Michael stared into her eyes and finally nodded. "You are right...It doesn't matter if I take out a lackey...he can hire more...the only way to end this is to take him out...to cut him out like a cancer...you understand me...you do." Michael was worried that Franco was going to expose his trauma to everyone in Port Charles. Then he wouldn't just be coma boy, or felon, or murderer, he'd be rape victim. And that was one label Michael just couldn't stomach in public.

"Of course I understand you...I know what you want. But the question is...how do you get it...? Franco is nearly untouchable if he weren't Jason would have already found him...right?" said Rose. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute trying to think of ways to talk Michael down from the ledge. She didn't want him to end up in jail or worse dead.

"He's been so busy with this Balkan thing that he hasn't had a chance to look for Franco. And with Sam in the hospital...and Brenda missing he is going to be twice as busy. Which means Franco is free to roam around and spread...this...!" said Michael pushing the picture of Carter toward her. He took off his coat and tuxedo jacket and tossed them on the couch. Michael paced the room thinking about Carter and Franco. His strides were determined and angry. He loosened his tie feeling confined at the moment like he couldn't breathe. In his mind he kept replaying how he'd want to take out Franco. But the memories of Carter and prison loomed large in the back of his mind as well.

Rose looked at the photo and sat it down on the coffee table. Rose sat on the couch and watched Michael as he paced around the room. She knew he needed time to mull all of this over in his head but she was beginning to worry that he might do something his family couldn't get him out of. She was scared that she might lose Michael. She watched Michael pace the floor in an almost trance for nearly 30 minutes before she stood up and walked over to him. "Michael you've got to try to calm down...there has to be a way to figure this out...and we will but you have to calm down...please." said Rose. Rose gently grabbed his arm to stop him from pacing. "Please..."

Michael stopped pacing hearing the fear in Rose's voice. He looked at her. "You know that I wouldn't hurt you right? I can control myself better than that now. Working with Jason has helped me..." Michael gently wrapped his arms around her. Seeing that fear in her eyes made him feel sick to his stomach. He never wanted Rose to worry about him hurting her in anyway.

"Baby, I am not worried about you hurting me. I am worried about you trying to find Franco. You are angry right now...you are blinded by rage. There is something to be said about the old saying that revenge is a dish best served cold...and as much as you want to handle this on your own maybe you should let Jason handle this. I am not trying to put you down but Franco is a Grade A psychopath. You said yourself that he was a challenge even for Jason...a man that you believe can move mountains...right?"

Michael sighed. He didn't want to admit it but he knew that she was right. He just stood there hugging her. He tried to stop the images from replaying in his head. But he was having a hard time not obsessing about it at the moment. He hated feeling helpless.

Rose said "I doubt that Dante will be going home tonight. He will probably be looking for Brenda all night. Why don't you just stay here tonight with me...please...?" Rose looked up into his eyes. She was worried that if Michael left he would end up doing something that he'd later regret. She could see the fury in him and she knew that he wanted to inflict the pain he felt on someone else and that was a dangerous thing.

Michael thought about it for a minute. He wanted to go back out and help his dad look for Brenda. But he knew in his heart that right now he wouldn't be any use. In fact he would probably be more trouble than help. But more than all of that, he didn't know if he could trust himself to be alone right now. He nodded and said "I'll stay the night with you. I can sleep out here on the couch if you feel weird about me being in the bed with you. Oh...I picked up some candy at the gas station."

Rose leaned up and kissed him softly. "I don't want you on the couch...I want you in bed with me. Let me just turn out the lights and then we can go to my room and watch a movie or something." Rose walked to the front door and made sure that it was locked and that the alarm was armed. She turned off the living room lights and grabbed the bag from the gas station. She walked back over to Michael. She took his hand and walked with him to her bedroom. Rose pulled back the blankets and climbed into the bed. She rested against the headboard as she waited for Michael to join her.

Michael sat on the edge of Rose' bed and took off his shoes and socks. "Thank you Rose." said Michael as he unbuttoned his shirt.

Rose moved across the bed so that she was on her knees behind him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and asked "What exactly are you thanking me for Michael?"

Michael took off his shirt and turned around to look at her. "Thank you for understanding me and not judging me. And most importantly...thank you for loving me." He looked into her eyes and lightly caressed her cheek. Michael had lost so much and so many things had gone wrong in his life. It scared him to think that he could lose Rose. Michael scooted onto the bed more and laid down with Rose in the bed. He put one of his arms around her as they laid together.

Once they were settled in the bed Rose relaxed in his arms. "Loving you is one thing you never have to thank me for, Michael. I didn't think I would find love this early in life but I have and I'm happy. Even with my life falling down around me...I'm happy." said Rose. It had been spending time with Michael that had made the deterioration of her family bearable.

Michael nodded his head in understanding as he relaxed. "I'm happy with you too. When everything else is so screwed up it is nice to know that I have you to depend on...you are my normal. Nothing else in my life is normal. I went to take Morgan home tonight...and when we got there...there were cars pulled right up to the front door. We both knew something was wrong. So I told Morgan to stay in the car and I got out and went into the house...and there was my dad with this guy taped to the chair. My mom was pleading with him not to do anything that he'd regret. This guy worked for the Balkan so my dad thinks that he has information on where he might have taken Brenda. I pleaded with him not to...not to do what he was about to do. I've seen my dad out of control before. It doesn't have an effect on me but what I didn't realize was Morgan had came into the house...he saw and heard my dad losing it...and the worst part...he didn't even seem that scared by it. He called Dante though...and Dante showed up putting a stop to it. But I can't help but wonder if I did the right thing by asking my dad not to do what he needed to do. If I would have just left when he asked me too and took my mother with me...then we might know where Brenda is right now..."

"I am sorry that Morgan had to see that side of your dad. But maybe seeing it will make him see that...your dad's life isn't the life for him. He's been raised away from the violence...so maybe...just maybe...?" asked Rose with a shrug. "I know that you never want your little bother to follow in your dad's footsteps or yours for that matter. I understand that feeling. I never want Xavier to have to see or know the things that I've seen or know...but in the end shielding them from everything is impossible."

"If it were your dad or your uncle...what would you have done?" asked Michael looking at her. He trusted Rose because he knew that she understood the way the business worked just like he did.

"I don't know...I wasn't in that position and I've never been in that position. I understand that sometimes the ends have to justify the means. And maybe that means torturing a guy for information...would I feel bad...maybe. A human being is hurting. But this guy is a paid mercenary..." said Rose.

"That is what I was thinking when I was able to get away from the house and have a clear head. The guy gets paid to kidnap people maybe kill people...I think if you are in that line of work...you take certain risks. And one of those risks is paying penance for your misdeeds. His actions directly or indirectly led to Brenda being kidnapped..." said Michael.

Rose nodded in agreement. "And he has to answer for that...and since Dante came and arrested him I am sure that he will pay for his crimes through the justice system..."

"Is that really enough...especially if Brenda ends up dead...?" asked Michael seriously.

"Sometimes the justice system is imperfect. This is why my uncle and your father are fond of distributing their own brand of justice. It is a lot more satisfying but it has to weigh on your conscience...I mean taking a human life is no laughing matter. So you have to believe...I mean truly believe that you are doing the right thing or you might just go mad..." said Rose.

"Even with knowing you did the right thing it is still hard. I mean I killed Claudia because I had too...there was no way around it. We were in that cabin alone. My mom was sick and out of it. It was storming outside...no one knew where we were really. If I hadn't killed her...I don't know what would have happened...but still I feel remorse...and in my mind I think of other possibilities. Like could I have subdued her? Or maybe not hit her as hard..." said Michael.

"That's because you aren't a cold-blooded murderer. You have a good heart. And you don't want to see death unless it is absolutely necessary...but in organized crime there is a lot of death. And I get the feeling we will see a bit of it now with Brenda being kidnapped." said Rose.

"Sometimes I can't control my rage though and I fly off the handle and see a lot of that in my dad...and I know that he isn't my father genetically...but I am a lot like him and a lot like my mother. You kept me from doing something really stupid tonight. If I hadn't been able to come here...you just don't know the thoughts that were in my head and I couldn't make them stop." said Michael.

Rose said "Well, you know they say we are who we are partly because of nature and partly because of nurture. I'm your girlfriend and your friend...that is my job...and if I was going to make a really bad decision you would stop me too. Besides, you are getting better at controlling your rage. You came here instead of finding the guy that put that picture on your car and beating him into a bloody pulp. That is growth on your part."

Michael nodded slightly and said "Well, I guess that you have a point there...I just want to be half way normal for you. I am tired of feeling like a freak." Michael ran his fingers through her hair trying to relax.

"Michael you are not a freak. You are perfect for me. Who wants normal anyway? Normal is boring. I think that we are interesting." said Rose looking into his eyes.

Michael had been thinking about this for awhile but so far he hadn't had the courage to ask. But in this moment laying there with Rose he finally had the nerve to ask her. "Marry me..." said Michael.

Rose laughed and said "Good one Michael." Rose thought that he was joking at first but slowly started to realize from the look on his face that he was quite serious. She didn't know what to say or what to think.

"I am serious." said Michael sitting up in the bed looking at her. "I want you to marry me...we can elope...we don't have to tell our families anything until after we are married. I want to marry you. I want you to be my wife. Anything could happen...I don't want to lose you." said Michael seriously. The events of tonight had sent Michael for a loop. 

"Michael, we haven't even finished high school..." said Rose shaking her head. "I love you and maybe one day we can get married but I think you are just reacting to all of the horrible stuff that happened tonight. But I am not going anywhere you aren't going to lose me the way your dad lost Brenda...and he might still get her back..." Rose loved Michael but she knew that they were really young to be discussing marriage. "We both come from broken homes Michael. We don't want to make the same mistakes that our parents made and are still making."

"Why not marry me? You love me right? Tell me that you don't love me and I won't ask you to marry me again. Tell me that you don't love me Rosie." said Michael looking into her eyes intently. "We both said that we wanted to be happy...for once in our lives we wanted to really be happy. We make each other happy."

"Of course I love you Michael. I love you with all of my heart. You know that...I say it everyday..." said Rose looking into his eyes. Rose sat up in the bed so that they were facing one another.

"So you love me but you aren't in love with me...is that what you are saying?"asked Michael.

"You know that isn't what I am saying either...of course I am in love with you...I don't want anyone else. You are all I want Michael..." said Rose.

"Then what reason could there possibly before us not to get married right now. We could get a marriage license in a few days and be married." said Michel resting his forehead against hers. He wrapped his arms around her. "I told you the night of the dance that I was going to make you my wife one day...I meant that. I've been thinking about this for awhile." said Michael.

Rose looked into his eyes and said "I love you Michael and I want to marry you too. But I don't want to elope. My faith means a lot to me which means I want to follow the church's rules about marriage..."

"I can respect that. What do we have to do?" asked Michael. He had a grin on his face that just would not stop. He couldn't believe that Rose actually said yes to him. He said "Wait a minute..." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I uh...I don't have a ring for you yet but..." He took his class ring off of his finger. "You can wear this until I get something." He slipped it on her finger and laughed. "Okay your fingers are much smaller than mine." He chuckled and slipped his class ring onto her thumb. "I think that is about as good as we are going to get."

Rose laughed softly. "I think it is perfect Michael." said Rose looking into his eyes. "If we are going to get married I want to go through the church's pre-cana. My brother and his wife went through it before they got married...its good you get counseling as a couple."

"If that is what you want to do then I will do it. I was baptized in the faith but I haven't really been practicing since I was confirmed years ago. I love you and I want to marry you...so we will do this." said Michael.

Rose grinned and hugged him tightly. "Then I guess we are getting married?"

He chuckled and said "Yeah, we are going to get married...I love you Rosie... we've got a great life ahead of us. My parole is almost over. We are going to be going to college together."

"I love you too Michael." said Rose. She couldn't stop grinning at the moment. This was like a whole new chapter in her life but at the same time it made her nervous. "I distinctly remember you saying that you didn't think you'd ever want to get married...because of your parents..."

He saw the look on her face and said "We are not our parents... and you've already seen me at my best and at my worst. You don't expect me to be anything other than what I truly am... and I feel the same way about you. Maybe the best thing that we can do is learn from our parents' mistakes so that we don't repeat them. But their mistakes shouldn't dictate how we live our lives. And you say that this thing we have to do involves couples' counseling right? So that is starting off on a good foot too."

Rose couldn't argue with his logic. "Our parents are going to hit the roof when they find out about what we are doing. I mean they are going to be seriously pissed." said Rose chuckling softly. "I can completely see them objecting to the wedding. Like your mother did tonight at your dad and Brenda's wedding."  
Michael shook his head. "My mother has always had a flair for the dramatic. I knew that she was up to something but I would not have guessed that in a million years. There is no rule that says your parents have to be invited to our wedding. We can just invite our siblings...the important part is that we are getting married to one another because we are in love. I can't believe that it is so late."

Rose smiled a little and looked over at the clock. "Wow...it is late. Listen, we should probably try to get some sleep. We don't know what the morning will look like..."

"Yeah...you are right." said Michael. "Goodnight Rose..."

"Goodnight Michael." said Rose. She got settled in the bed with him.

A couple of hours later Michael's cell phone started to ring. Michael groaned slightly feeling exhausted. He closed his eyes trying to ignore the ringtone he had assigned to his mother. When the phone finally stopped ringing he groaned. "Thank you..."

Rose opened one eye to look at Michael. "You know she is just going to call you back." said Rose. She closed her eyes again yawning tiredly. She turned over so that she was facing him.

Michael chuckled and said "Maybe she will just think that I am sleeping in. Go back to sleep baby." Michael's cell phone started ringing again but this time it was the ringtone he had assigned to Jason. Michael reached over and grabbed the phone off of the night stand. "Is everything okay?" asked Michael sleepily.

"Michael where are you? Carly is worried sick because you didn't stay at Dante's house last night and you didn't stay the night with her." said Jason although he had a fairly good idea about where Michael was now that he knew his nephew wasn't in any sort of danger.

Michael said "I just needed some time by myself last night. I had some stuff I needed to think about. And after arguing with mom about my future I didn't want to stay over there..."

"But you didn't go to Dante's loft either...listen I know that you are probably with Rose. I am not judging you or telling you how to live your life but part of being an adult is being responsible...with this situation with the Balkan disappearing without telling anyone is dangerous. You had your mother worried. Why didn't you answer when she called you?" said Jason.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night so when she called I didn't answer because I want to rest not explain where I've been all night. I am sorry...I honestly thought that with everything going on with Brenda, Sam , and the Balkan that no one would really think to look for me. I wasn't trying to make any extra work for you Jason I know that your plate is full right now. I will call mom and let her know that I am okay."

Jason paused and said "It isn't that...you didn't cause any problems Michael. We just want to know that you are safe. Things are sort of spinning out of control right now, I just want to make sure that you are okay. Carly said that you were upset last night when you left the house...do you want to talk about what is going on?"

"Jason you have your hands full you don't need to worry about trying to take care of me. I can take care of myself. If I have any problems I will handle it..." said Michael thinking back to the picture left on his car.

Jason picked up the tone in Michael's voice. "Michael what is going on...I am never too busy for you. If you've got a problem you need to tell me."

"I don't have any problems Jason. I was just upset last night and coming over to talk to Rose helped that is all. I'll talk to you later...let me know if I can help in anyway." said Michael. He hung up quickly before Jason could interrogate him. Michael then dialed Carly's cell phone.

Carly answered on the first ring. "Michael! Are you okay?" Carly had been worried sick after she stopped over to see Michael that morning and he wasn't at Dante's loft.

"Yes, mom I am fine. I am sorry I didn't answer you when you called. I was just sleepy and trying to get a little extra rest. You know how I like to sleep in on weekends. But I am really sorry that I made you worry. I went to see Rose last night and we just ended up talking about a lot of stuff and...we fell asleep." said Michael.

Carly frowned not thrilled with the idea of her son spending the night at a girl's house. Carly knew from Sonny that Rose's parents were in the middle of a nasty divorce. Which meant the young woman had little to no supervision. She knew that Michael and Rose were both adults but she was still concerned. Carly said "Well, if you have a chance I'd really like to see you for lunch today...maybe you could stop by the MetroCourt. I've been so busy lately I feel like we haven't really gotten to spend any time together."

Michael could hear the hesitancy in her voice. He already knew what the topic of this lunch would be. But he also knew that if he tried to avoid the lunch that she'd find some other way to broach the subject. "Sure I can do that mom I will see you around 1:00." said Michael.

"Okay I will see you for lunch, Michael. I love you baby be safe." said Carly. Carly hung up and sighed.

"My mom wants to have lunch with me...this should be fun. I know what she is going to say already..." said Michael laughing. "I am so tired though..."

"Well, let's try to get some more sleep. The boys will wake up soon I need 30 minutes of sleep or I am going to be super cranky."

"Super cranky?" asked Michael laughing at her. He tickled her sides and said "Well, we wouldn't want you to be super cranky. Go to sleep." Michael kissed the top of her head and then laid his head back against the pillow. He closed his own eyes tiredly and tried to get a few more minutes of sleep. 


	12. Chapter 12

The next couple of days were a whirlwind as Sonny and Jason turned Port Charles upside down looking for Brenda and the Balkan. Sonny was running through all of his enemies and his allies trying to figure out who had assisted the Balkan on assembling the crew needed to pull off a job of this scale. So far they had come up empty and Sonny was starting to spiral further out of control. Michael was spending a lot of time at his dad's house trying to support him but also to make sure he didn't retreat into a dark depression. There was really no one else to do it. Jason was looking after Sam and trying to find Brenda. Carly was worried that her presence would just make Sonny worse. And Mike was still in rehab working on his gambling addiction. Everyone was stressed out at the moment and it only got worse after Michael confronted an armed man in an alleyway. The man had been connected to the Balkan. Dante had been there to arrest the man but everyone was still worried about the road Michael was on. But right now Michael was taking time to take Rose out for dinner. "I hope going to the Metro Court is okay...but I think my mother is at home tonight so you don't have to worry about running into her..."

"I don't mind going to the Metro Court at all. I love the food there." said Rose with a smile. Rose laughed and said "Yes, I can see her now sitting down to eat dinner with us. I think your mom is awesome... but she has some serious boundary issues." Rose checked her appearance in the mirror. "Oh Kristina wants us to stop of at the store and pick up some snacks before we go to her house for the movie." After dinner Michael and Rose were going to hang out at Alexis' lake house with Kristina, Taylor, and Molly. On the way over to the house they were also supposed to pick up Morgan and Rose's brother Xavier. Rose took a deep breath knowing that starting this conversation right now was unfair but she felt like she had to. "Michael...I really think that you should tell Jason about Franco contacting you. The picture might have been a one off...but he sent you and e-mail with photos attached. He is having you watched. I know that you want to handle this on your own...but...please...I'm worried...I'm scared Michael."

"Tell me about it..." said Michael. "But she loves me and that is what it is all about...she is the same way with Jason and my dad. If she loves you... she doesn't know how to back off. I think she is worried about something bad happening if she relinquishes control." Michael pulled up at the Metro Court. Michael turned to look at Rose he lightly caressed her cheek. "I love you and I am going to protect you, Nicolas, and Roman. I am not going to let anything happen to any of you...if I feel like I can't handle Franco...I promise that I will get Jason involved then." He kissed her and got out of the car. He handed his keys to the valet and walked around the car to meet up with Rose. They walked into Metro Court together and were seated at their table.

Rose asked "Is that your mom sitting with your dad at the bar?" Rose nodded her head in the direction of the bar as she got settled at the table. It looked like Sonny and Carly were in the middle of a serious conversation.

Michael nodded and said "Yeah...it is...so much for her not being here tonight. I would go over and say hi but it looks like whatever they are talking about is intense..." Michael got settled at the table and turned his attention to the menu.

Rose nodded and said "Intense doesn't even begin to explain it..." Rose looked over the menu although she already knew what she wanted. "We should be hearing from Columbia in about a month. I don't know if I am scared or excited..." said Rose trying to take his mind off of his parents.

Michael smiled at her. "Why are you worried? You are going to get in...I am the one that better say a couple extra Hail Marys...we'll find out about NYU in two weeks...I am more hopeful about my chances there..."

Rose laughed and said "You are too hard on yourself, Michael. I think that you have a great chance of getting into all of the places that you applied. Your grades are great. Your test scores are even better. And your parents are freaking loaded." She smirked looking over at him.

"All valid points. Well, I got in at Port Charles University so at least someone is willing to take me...not that I want to be stuck here while you are in New York City. Although, ELQ has offices there...I could always just extend my internship and transfer there. I don't think my great-grandfather would be opposed to that." said Michael. Michael was really enjoying his time interning at ELQ he was learning a lot more than he thought he would.

"You are really liking working at ELQ?" asked Rose with a smile. "You certainly talk about it a lot. Could it be that the mob prince has found his calling?" asked Rose chuckling.

Michael smirked at her and said "Not even close...I just realized that no one is going to take me serious until I prove myself. And it can't just be proving myself on the street I need to be able to prove that I can think beyond that. I need to prove that I can be more than just dumb muscle. I need to be able to run the organization...my Uncle Jason did for awhile when my dad had to disappear. And he did a great job of it...he grew the organization made connections that our family didn't have before. He's smart, he can anticipate the moves that other people make. What's the real difference between what my dad does and what Jax does as a corporate raider?"

Rose giggled and said "You are so sexy when you start talking about taking over the world, baby. I think what you are doing is a great move. They can't deny you forever, Michael. Your dad is getting older...who is he going to trust the organization to other than Jason? Well, you are right about that corporate crooks are still crooks they just pretend to be above it all."

Michael leaned over and kissed her. "And I want you by my side while I am taking over the world. You know my great-grandfather likes you...he thinks you are a good influence on me...I have to agree with him." Michael shook his head. "Don't get me started on that...if my dad had his way he'd be handing the business over to Dante. You don't know how much that pisses me off...he barely knows Dante."

"That is only because he doesn't know that I support your true ambitions. If he knew that bit he'd hate me. But I believe in you and if being the head of the family is what you want then I want that for you..." said Rose chuckling. "Michael...you know your dad loves you. He loves you so much that he doesn't want you to suffer the way he has suffered."

"I am lucky to have found a girl like you. The other day I ran across that picture of the two of us as kids. It is like you were my destiny all along...no one else is going to understand me...understand my life the way you do." said Michael. "Yeah...my dad loves me...but he doesn't trust me...he still sees me as a kid he needs to protect..."

The waiter came over and smiled. "Good Evening Mr. Corinthos what would you like this evening?"

Michael said "I'll have the 20 ounce T-Bone Steak with creamed spinach and baked potato. Oh and I'll have a grilled chicken Cesar salad to go with it."

"And for you Miss?" asked the waiter.

"I'll have the penne with shrimp and lobster. And I'll have the grilled chicken Cesar salad too." said Rose closing her menu and handing it to the water.

"And to drink?" asked the waiter.

"Uh tea for both of us. Thank you." said Michael handing the waiter his menu as well.

The waiter smiled and said "I will be back with your beverages shortly." He walked away from the table.

Once the waiter was out of earshot Michael looked at Rose thoughtfully for a moment before saying "You know...we haven't really talked about what this would be for the two of us. I mean...we are getting married. My life isn't just my life anymore. Once we are married it will be our life. I don't mind the danger or the violence but do you want to put yourself through that. Do you want your sons growing up in the same life that we did?" Michael reached over and took her left hand. He smiled seeing his class ring still perched on her thumb.

"Michael, you've never made it a secret about what you want from life. It isn't as if you are springing this information on me. I want for you...whatever you want. And if that is running a family or a fortune 500 company I am behind you 100%. I know exactly what I am getting myself into...I am not some pretty little lamb you are leading to slaughter." said Rose.

"But what about Nicolas and Roman? Do you want them going through the same things we've gone through?" asked Michael. "The one thing that I've learned in my own life is that no matter how much you love your kids...you can't shield them from everything. If not the danger just knowing about all of the horrible things that go on. You and I know far too much about how our families run."

"It is sweet of you to be so concerned. But danger will always be an element of my life. I love my father's family. I am incredibly close to my uncle Constantino. My oldest two brothers are involved in the business and I am close to them. Roman and Nicolas' lives are going to be touched by this business...not marrying you won't change that." said Rose sincerely. "I love you Michael Corinthos III and I am going to marry you. I'm not scared..."

Michael smiled at her and shook his head. "I still think you have a screw loose for loving me like you do but I am glad that you do." Michael's thumb lightly caressed her cheek. "I love spending time with you and I love spending time with the boys. They are great kids."

"Well, you love me too...I'm lucky. How many guys want to marry a girl that already has kids? Nicolas and Roman light up when they see you." said Rose

He chuckled and said "I guess with the way that I was raised...I realize that a family takes more than DNA. My dad adopted me and loved me. He's been a great father to me. My Uncle Jason raised me as his own son for the first year or so of my life. He's been like a father to me too. I think I could be a decent step-father...I've got a lot to learn."

Rose laughed softly. "Look at our parents...as old as we are they are still learning too. I don't know if you ever stop learning how to be a good parent."

The waiter returned with their drinks and their salads.

Michael glanced over at his parents. "Well, they don't seem to be fighting so that is a good sign...speaking of parents. How are yours doing? You said your dad was going to visit your mom today?"

"That turned out to be a disaster. They were both so angry with each other they spent their time sitting in silence. I got up and left early...I couldn't sit through that. I talked to my mom on the phone later...she apologized. I am used to it now...doesn't bother me anymore...that is the sad part." said Rose with a shrug of the shoulders. "My dad and I didn't talk afterward because he had a hop on a flight to London."

"I am sorry babe..." said Michael seriously. "Maybe it will get better once your mom is out of rehab..."

"I doubt it...I don't even want to think about them right now. Let's just focus on enjoying our date." said Rose with a smile. "So what do you really think of our conversations with Father Matthew?"

"I have to admit when you first brought it up I was a little skeptical. I mean I am already in counseling...I thought the last thing I needed was more counseling. But...I've actually enjoyed talking to Father Matthew and those worksheets were pretty neat too..." said Michael as their waiter brought their meal to the table.

Rose nodded and as she started eating dinner. "I really liked the worksheet on family involvement." She laughed a little. "I love my family and they are a huge part of my life. I don't think I could marry someone that wasn't big on family."

"Well, you know how close and crazy my family can be. But it wasn't something I had ever really thought of before now. I liked the worksheet on budgeting money." said Michael laughing.

Rose chuckled. "Yeah, that was definitely a good one. Right now neither of us really has any money that we've earned. But we both have pretty large trust funds in our names...I get full access to mine when I am 21. But I start getting a monthly stipend from it when I graduate in May."

Michael ate dinner and nodded and said "And I got access to mine when I turned 19 in December. Although the accountant can notify my family if my spending habits get crazy. Which is why you don't have an engagement ring yet."

"Michael, I love your class ring. There is no need to rush getting a ring." said Rose with a smile. "Besides, if I start wearing an engagement ring we are going to have some explaining to do." Rose chuckled.

"I hate to tell you but there is only so long that we are going to be able to keep a lid on this thing anyway...at some point our parents are going to figure it out...especially since we intend to live together when we go to college in the fall." Michael quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Okay, you do have a point there. My dad has already been talking about buying a place for me and the boys in the city. He doesn't want them staying in some crappy place and nothing is cheap there..." said Rose.

"You do want to get married, right? I mean I didn't push you into something that you didn't really want?" asked Michael worried that she had just agreed to appease him.

"Michael...don't be silly. I love you. I want to marry you. It's just...our families are in shambles right now the last thing we need is more drama and there would be. But like I told you when we first met...if we want to be treated like adults then we have to be adults. So...I say we don't hide it anymore...we should sit our families down soon and tell them." said Rose.

Michael smiled and said "That's my girl." He reached over and caressed her cheek.

Carly and Sonny walked over to the table. "Good evening you two." said Carly with a smile. "Would you mind if we joined you for dinner?" asked Carly.

Sonny chuckled softly. "Hi. You can say no if you'd rather we didn't join you for dinner. I told your mother this was probably a date..."

Michael laughed a little and looked over at Rose. "Uh sure..." said Michael. "We'd love for you guys to join us..." said Michael.

Carly motioned for one of the waiters to bring over two more chairs. She had a seat once the chairs were brought to the table.

"Aren't you going to order something?" asked Michael.

Sonny chuckled and said "Your mother and I ordered while we were at the bar. She assumed that you and Rose would agree to us joining you for dinner. So how are the two of you doing?"

Carly smiled and said "Why wouldn't they want us to join them for dinner?"

"We're good. We are having dinner here and then going over to Alexis's house for movie night. We are all going to watch Dark Knight together: Krissy, Taylor, Molly, Morgan, and Xavier." said Michael.

"I am glad that you are so close to your siblings and your cousin, Molly. It is nice knowing that you guys can depend on one another. Kristina and Molly stopped by the house today to see me. Molly brought me a book on depression and aroma therapy candles." said Sonny chuckling.

"Morgan and Xavier have become quite the little buddies. Xavier has been over to my house several times and Morgan has o course been over to your parents' house." said Carly.

"Yeah, they are really good friends. It is cool with them being basically the same age." said Rose.

"Any news on Brenda, dad?" asked Michael.

Sonny said "We are still looking but so far we keep hitting dead ends...but I know that we are going to find her. We don't think that the Balkan has left town with her...which means he needs her for something...what...I don't know. But your mother has been a great help for me today."

Carly nodded and said "I am not fond of Brenda by any means but I want Sonny to be happy." She smiled at Sonny. Carly and Sonny had decided to come to a truce on the Brenda situation he didn't like having to lean on his son for support and Carly didn't like it either. So now he was leaning on Carly. "So what were the two of you talking about?"

"Carly..." admonished Sonny shaking his head.

"Fine...you don't have to answer that. So Michael...Rose I'd like to talk to both of you. You are both old enough to make your own decisions. I just want to make sure that you two are making the right decisions. A lot of things can happen by accident and...it forces you into decisions...and..."

Michael said "Mom...what are you talking about?"

"Well, Sonny told me that the two of you are going to go to the same college. And now you are sleeping over at her house overnight. I just want you to make sure the two of you don't do anything...I want you to be safe because a pregnancy can change your life and..." said Carly trying to figure out her words.

Michael started laughing. "Mom, are you seriously trying to give me the sex talk in front of my girlfriend? Do you remember when we talked about boundaries? You are definitely leaping over one right now..."

"I guess I am just wondering how serious the two of you are...and why didn't you tell me that you were going to go to the same college that Rose is going to go to so that the two of you could be together." said Carly.

Sonny said "I think what your mother is trying to say is that both of you are very young to be in such a serious relationship. And when you are young sometimes emotions can feel so strong that you rush into sex."

"I just want to make sure that both of you are being safe..." said Carly.

Rose said "Mr. Corinthos...Mrs. Jacks...Michael and I are not sexually active and we don't intend to be. I already have two sons...I am not ready for anymore children. I told Michael a couple of months ago...I think this time around I want to wait until I am married..."

"And I didn't tell you about the college thing because you have the tendency to overreact when you are scared or worried about something and I didn't want you to get upset. Columbia is the top choice but I am also interested in NYU...either way if I get into either of them Rose and I want to live together when we go to school in the fall." said Michael. He reached over and took Rose's hand. "We're in love and we want to be together. A lot of long distance relationships fall apart and we don't want that to happen."

"Live together?" asked Carly nearly choking on her water. "Sonny didn't tell me that part or does your father not know...?" asked Carly raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't know for sure but I sort of assumed that they would want to live together." said Sonny. He took Carly's hand to settle her down. He could see her building up to a blow up. "I think it is a logical choice...even if we said that they had to live separately...they would be spending so much time at his place or her place that it would hardly seem to matter. You said yourself that Michael has spent a couple of nights at Rose's house..." said Sonny.

Carly frowned but had to admit that Sonny had a point. "You two are just so young and I know that you feel like you are in love but Michael this is your first serious relationship."

"Rose and I want to get a place together in the city. We both think that we are old enough to make that decision...but we've made another decision too..." said Michael. He looked over at Rose. "But we want to wait until we can get you, dad, and Jason in the same room..."

"Decision? What decision...just tell us what is going on..." said Carly.

Michael cleared his throat. "A couple of nights ago...I was in a really bad place because of some things that happened and no...before you ask I won't tell you about them. And Rose was there for me...she talked me down from the ledge. I asked Rose to marry me. And she said yes..."

Rose said "Michael and I are going to go through counseling through the church before we get married. We have met with Father Matthew twice this week for marriage counseling. We haven't set a date or anything and we might not get married until after graduation but for now...we are engaged."

Carly was rarely speechless but in this moment she was speechless. "You two cannot be serious. You are both children...barely into adulthood. I like...Rose don't get me wrong. I think she's a nice girl and I am glad that you have such a connection with her. But getting married. Michael, you have your whole life ahead of you. You haven't even dated anyone before...this is your first relationship. I just...you guys are moving way too fast and I can't let you do this."

"Mom, we weren't going to tell anyone at first but we decided that we wouldn't keep it from our families because we love you guys and we want you to be part of this...but if you can't or won't be happy for us...that isn't going to stop us." said Michael.

"We are young and there are so many odds against us but Michael makes me happy and I love him. And I am hoping that the counseling through the church will help us be ready for marriage." said Rose.

"And I love Rose and she makes me happy too. When no one understands me she does. She listens to me and doesn't judge me. She understands who I am and who I want to be and she wants that for me. I have never been as happy as I am right now and that is because I have Rose in my life now. And after seeing how quickly love can be taken away from you...I don't want to wait. I want to marry Rose and I want you to support me mom. I supported you getting back with Jax...even after what he tried to do to dad...I supported you because I knew that being with him would make you happy. Dad, I supported you when you told me that you wanted to marry Brenda. I just want you to support me too." said Michael. "I am doing all of the things you wanted me to do. I am enjoying my senior year of high school the best that I can. I am going to go to college. I am even working at ELQ to see if the corporate life is for me..." Michael was mostly working there being nice to Edward the old man loved him a lot.

The waiter brought Sonny and Carly's meals to the table. Carly ordered another cocktail feeling like she'd need it for this conversation.

Sonny said "Michael...Rose...you are both smart young people. And I believe that the two of you are old enough to make the right decisions for your lives. I do not doubt your love for one another. But the road ahead of you is going to be long and difficult. You two are proposing that you get married and move in together. You are going to be going to college and trying to take care of two small children. Not to mention, Michael, you said that you wanted to continue to intern at ELQ's Manhattan office. There are people twice your age that are unable to make all of that work together."

"Then instead of dragging us down...be our support. Help us...come visit on the weekends or fly us home to visit you guys. I can work at ELQ in the summer instead of during the year. Rose and I are both willing to do whatever is necessary to make us work." said Michael.

"That is one of the reasons that I insisted that Michael and I go through pre-cana. We get religious counseling and marriage counseling. And we do these worksheets that really make us think about marriage topics that we had never really considered. Michael and I are both from broken and unstable homes. We want a better life for ourselves so we are willing to put in the work." said Rose.

"At the end of the day we are both adults. We are old enough to get married and we don't need your permission. But I would rather have the two of you there supporting us than fighting us...because you will lose..." said Michael.

Carly looked between Michael and Rose seeing how dead set they were about the issue of marriage. "Well, tell me about this pre-cana."

Sonny squeezed Carly's hand lovingly knowing this was hard for her.

"We meet for two hours twice a week with Father Matthew. We work on worksheets and then talk about the issues brought up in those worksheets. Today we talked about budgeting finances and the importance of our families. It will last for three weeks." said Rose.

Carly cleared her throat and said "What if we paid for the two of you to receive marriage counseling after you are finished with pre-cana? You two wants us to support you...maybe the best way to do that is by giving you the tools to have a good marriage."

"And Carly and I would be willing to buy a place for the two of you in New York. Maybe when Michael's parole ends this summer we could all make a trip to the city to do a little house hunting."

Michael looked over at Rose and said "What do you think Rosie?"

Rose nodded and said "I think that would be a really good idea. Thank you Mrs. Jacks. Thank you Sonny."

"If I am going to be your mother-in-law...you should probably start calling me Carly. Have you told your parents yet?"asked Carly.

Rose shook her head. "We haven't told my parents yet. We actually just decided tonight that we should tell our parents at all. We'll probably tell my dad tomorrow."

"So we are the only ones that know the two of you are engaged?" asked Carly.

Michael chuckled and said "No...we told Krissy, Molly, Morgan, and Xavier the other day. We figured that we'd get the most support from our younger siblings and we were right...they were all really happy for us..."

"I can't believe that Morgan didn't say anything to me about this..." huffed Carly.

Sonny chuckled and said "Brothers are always going to have secrets from their parents. Just take it as a good sign that they are close to one another and that is what we've always wanted for our sons..."

About an hour later Michael looked at his watch as the waiter approached the table with their checks. " Mom...Dad...we've had a great time having dinner with the two of but Rose and I need to stop by the store and pick up some junk food before we go to the lake house." Michael reached for his wallet.

Sonny chuckled and said "Don't worry about paying for dinner, son. I will pay for dinner since your mother and I hijacked your meal."

Carly smiled and said "I am sure that they didn't mind one bit."

"Sure...Carly." said Sonny laughing. Sonny took out his wallet to pay for dinner and left the waiter a tip.

Michael smiled and said "Thanks, dad. I will stop by tomorrow to see how you are doing. You know that if there is anything that I can do just let me know."

Sonny nodded and said "I appreciate you sticking around so much Michael. Just getting to see you does my heart good."

Sonny, Carly, Michael, and Rose headed out of Metro Court together. They all walked over to the valet to retrieve their cars. Michael's care was brought around first. Michael hugged his mother and father. "I love you guys. I will talk to you later." said Michael.

Carly hugged Michael and said "Alright sweetheart, be safe." Carly hugged Rose and said "I am really happy that you make my son happy."

"Thank you Carly..." said Rose.

Sonny hugged Rose as well.

The valet brought Michael's car around first.

Michael and Rose climbed into his car and gave one last wave to his parents before taking off. "So that went a lot better than I expected it to. I thought my mother would make a scene for sure." said Michael.

Rose laughed and said "I don't know at first I thought she just might stab me. I am really glad that your parents are on board though. My parents...I don't know..."

Michael reached over and squeezed her hand. "Well, when should we tell your parents?" asked Michael.

"We should tell my dad soon, but my mom is in rehab. I don't want her to freak out while she is in treatment. But I don't think she would forgive me for keeping it from her either...I don't want to think about it right now. We can talk to my dad when he gets back from his business trip and maybe he can give us some guidance about when we should tell my mother..." said Rose.

"And hopefully your father won't kill me...I mean I know he isn't in the business but he is still a very intimidating man." said Michael laughing.

"Don't be silly...my dad likes you. And it isn't like he doesn't know that you've been staying over...we have security cameras that monitor the outside of the house..." said Rose.

"That is a good point..." said Michael. "You know I was surprised tonight to see how well my parents were getting along..." said Michael.

"It is really great that your mom can put aside her feelings for Brenda so that she can support your dad. Your mother is surprising that is for sure..." said Rose.

"Well, at the end of the day she loves my dad and my dad loves her. They might not be good in a relationship together but he knows that no one is going to go to bat for him like my mom will other than Jason. My mother would...and has gone to great lengths to protect my dad..." said Michael. "I want that sort of dedication without all of the crazy." said Michael laughing. Michael glanced at the time. "Dinner ran way late than it was supposed to. I am going to call Krissy and tell her to pick up Xavier that way we can just stop at the store and head over to the lake house."

Rose chuckled and said "Well, I happen to be a little crazy myself. I will just text Kristina." Rose took her phone out of her purse and texted Kristina to ask her to pick up Xavier. Rose then texted Xavier to let him know about the change in plans. Rose smiled when Kristina texted her back. "Kristina said she can pick him up no problem."

"Good, now we can go to the store and by a massive amount of junk to feast on." said Michael. Michael hit play on his CD player.

Instead of music a man's voice started to play over the speaker.

"_Hi Michael! I am Jason's pal Franco. Michael...my friend the other night left a picture of Carter on your windshield. You remember Carter don't you? I think the two of you got very acquainted during your time in Pentonville. You know in the biblical sense. I didn't really pay him for that part...he sort of took that as a bonus. But it all worked out just the same I suppose. I've been gone for awhile but I think it is time that I come back to Port Charles. I've really missed Jason...and I've missed all of those that he counts dear to him. I've been keeping my eye on you Michael...I won't be letting you out of my sights. Oh you might want to buckle up...driving can be...dangerous._"

Rose reached out and mashed the buttons quickly trying to turn off the CD player.

"No!" said Michael. "I want to hear it." He was seething with anger.

"Michael...please..." said Rose finally succeeding in ejecting the CD. She took out the CD and stuffed it into her purse. "He is a sick bastard...don't let him torture you!" said Rose. "Michael...slow down you are driving too fast..." said Rose.

Michael looked at Rose with a scared look. "I...I can't stop the car Rose." said Michael stomping on the brake pedal but it had no affect on the speeding vehicle. "Hold on Rose!" said Michael. Michael jerked the wheel and aimed the car at an old oak tree on the side of the road. He prayed that the tree would stop the car without killing the both of them. The impact of the car against the tree made a horrible crunching sound. The airbags in the car deployed. Michael's side of the car took the bulk of the impact.

Rose was dazed for a moment. The car's horn was blaring and the radiator was hissing. But all of the sounds were muffled to her because the noise of the airbags deploying had affected her hearing. Rose had cuts on her face from the windshield breaking. "Michael..." yelled Rose.

Michael was unconscious at the moment.

"Michael..." said Rose struggling with her seat belt to get to him. She cried out as pain shot through her wrist. Rose gave up on her seat belt and instead reached into the console between the two seats. She pulled out Michael's cell phone and tried to call for help but she was getting dizzy and laceration on her forehead was allowing blood to get into her eyes. Rose passed out. 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry for the delay in chapters, but to make up for it I am posting two at the same time. Thanks for reading and please review to let me know what you think.

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Sonny and Carly stood on the elevator together at General Hospital trying not to panic. Carly had received that call that every mother dreads. Her son had been in a serious car accident and was currently at the hospital. Carly and Sonny had no idea what Michael's condition was at the moment. The officer that called to make the notification didn't have any details. Carly could not have been happier that she was with Sonny when that call came in. It was his calmness that was keeping her from freaking out completely. The elevator's ding when it reached their floor was almost like a starters' pistol for Carly.

Sonny and Carly rushed off of the elevator fear gripping them as they took each step. Sonny's eyes roamed the floor looking for someone that he knew. Someone that could tell him and Carly about their son. Sonny's eyes fell on his old friend, Robin, and went over to her. "Robin, we got a call that Michael and Rose were in a car accident. Are they okay? Does anyone know what happened?" Sonny and Carly had been at his house talking when they got the call. It was the worst feeling a father could have. But he couldn't react at the time because Carly had been beside herself. He needed to be strong for her.

Robin walked around the counter seeing the fear on Sonny and Carly's faces. It was the same fear she saw on Sonny's face the night that the limo blew up. Robin put a hand on Sonny's shoulder and said "They are both fine. Michael has a few facial lacerations, a cracked rib, and he has a concussion. Rose has a few facial lacerations, a sprained wrist, and a concussion. But considering the speed at which they hit the tree...they are very lucky to have walked away at all. Lucky and Dante are in with them right now to take their statements. Michael submitted to a breathalyzer test to eliminate any suspicion of drunk driving."

Carly breathed a sigh of relief hearing that Michel was going to be okay. But that relief was quickly replaced with anger. "Drunk driving? We had dinner with Michael and Rose. He didn't have a drop of anything to drink." said Carly angrily. Carly wasn't really angry she was just worried about Michael. Just when she thought her son's life was on track something else came out of the shadows.  
Sonny put a comforting arm around Carly's shoulders and said "Carly...this is the best way. We know Michael wasn't drinking and now the police know that too. Come on...let's go sit down..." Sonny walked with Carly to the waiting room and had a seat hoping to comfort her somewhat. "Michael is fine..." said Sonny. He took both of her hands and looked into her eyes. "Our son is okay...focus on that." said Sonny his voice thick with emotion.

"I know...but the more I hope that he will have a good life the more everything seems to turn to dust. Even when he does everything right something horrible happens to him. How am I supposed to tell him to be happy...to be hopeful?" asked Carly tears glistened in Carly's blue eyes threatening to fall at any moment.

Sonny looked into her eyes and said "Carly, you are an amazing mother. Michael is strong enough to get through anything because of the strength that you've given him and he has grown up into a man that we both can be proud of. He survived this crash and we are going to be there to support him 100%. He's got his whole life ahead of him."

Carly sighed and hugged Sonny feeling tears slip down her cheeks. "We could have lost him tonight...and then what? If anything happened to Michael...if I lost him...I'd die Sonny...I'd die." whispered Carly into Sonny's collar. Her tears dripped onto his slate gray dress shirt.

Sonny rubbed her back comfortingly. "I know that you feel that way right now...but you wouldn't die. Because you would know that you'd have to go on for Morgan and Josslyn. You'd never leave your babies behind." said Sonny lightly wiping away her tears. "But Michael isn't going anywhere...he has survived so much and he will continue to survive..." said Sonny seriously. He reached into his pocket and handed Carly his handkerchief.

Carly sniffled and offered a small smile. "How come you are so calm? It was just a couple of hours ago that I was calming you down..." said Carly. Carly used the handkerchief to dab her tears away. She smiled softly looking at Sonny. They had their problems, but when the chips were down she knew that she could depend on Sonny.

Sonny offered a smirk. "Only one of us can be knee deep in sorrow at a time. We have to take turns with this thing. I don't know if I've said this to you or not but thank you...thank you for being here for me."

"I will always be here for you, Sonny. I love you and I am always going to love you. That isn't going to change no matter who you are with...or who I am with. That is why Jax and I could never work...and will never work. He can't accept that you will always be a part of my life. You will always come to me when you need me and I will always go to you when I need you." said Carly. "You are stuck with me until you die." said Carly with a smile. She rested her head against his shoulder and dabbed away her tears.

Fifteen minutes later Dante and Lucky walked into the waiting room.

Sonny stood up with Carly seeing Dante and Lucky approaching them. "How are Michael and Rose doing? Did they say what caused the crash?"

Dante said, "They are both doing surprisingly well considering what that car looked like when I arrived on the scene. They are both in with Dr. Drake now signing their release forms. They should be out here in a few minutes, but they are in room 1125 and 1126. I don't know what is going on I tried to get both of them to open up, but I got nowhere with them. Rose rattled off this story, but I can't say that I believe her. The facts in the crash aren't linking up..."

"What are you talking about? Why would they lie about a car accident that could have killed both of them?" asked Carly getting defensive. "I don't want hear your theories. The last time you tried to help Michael...he landed in Pentonville." said Carly.

Sonny rubbed her back gently. "Calm down Carly...let's just hear what Dante and Lucky have to say about the situation..."

"Listen, with Michael being on parole and both of them going to the hospital there is going to be an investigation into the crash to make sure that he wasn't being reckless. Mac assured Lucky and I that we can stay on the case. Michael took a breathalyzer and it was negative for alcohol so there won't be any charges stemming from this accident...but I need both of them to come clean ." said Dante.

Carly looked over at Lucky. "Lucky...what is going on?" She trusted Lucky to be straight up with her and to also help protect Michael if it came down to it. She knew that Lucky understood some of what Michael was going through.

Lucky walked closer and looked between Carly and Sonny said, "I could see the expression on Rose's face... she has something that she wants to say but isn't saying it. I don't know if it was because Dante was in the room or..."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked Dante.

Lucky sighed. "I am not trying to disparage you in any way, Dante. I like you man, but all you know is the right side of the law. I grew up with their same mentality. My dad was a crook and Sonny was like an uncle to me. The cops are not your friends and the more you tell them the more likely you are to get yourself or someone you love in trouble. And with your role in Michael going to Pentonville she is probably holding back because she doesn't trust you. Whatever she is holding back...she thinks she is protecting Michael."

Carly nodded knowing that Lucky was probably right. Carly picked up her purse from the chair she had been sitting in. "I am going to go and see if they are almost ready to go...Sonny...maybe we could all go to your house and talk about this?"

Sonny nodded and said "I was just thinking the same thing...you go and see the kids. I am going to talk to Lucky and Dante for a moment and then I will be right behind you."

Carly walked down the hall to find their rooms. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around Michael and hug him tight. As Carly rounded the corner she saw Michael and Rose headed her way in what appeared to be a heated conversation, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Carly asked, "Is everything okay?" She winced looking at her son's face. She looked over at Rose's face. "Oh my God...look at the two of you." said Carly. She hugged Michael. "I am just glad that both of you are okay..."

Michael and Rose clammed up as soon as they saw Carly approaching them. "I am fine mom. Really." said Michael knowing that he had to be worried about him. He could tell from her red rimmed eyes that she had been crying. Michael returned Carly's hug and said, "I am sorry I worried you so much mom. It was just a freak accident."

"Accidents happen, baby. I am just happy that the two of you are alive." said Carly. She turned her attention to Rose and gave the girl a hug. "Sonny called your father...he won't be able to make home from London until the morning. But if you need anything at all you just tell Sonny and me. Okay? We have the limo waiting downstairs and Sonny and I thought it might be good for all of us to go back to his house to talk about what happened tonight."

Rose said, "That is really generous of you Carly but I don't need anything. I was really hoping to see my sons." Rose was really shaken up about what happened and more than anything she just wanted to see them and hug them.

Michael kissed her temple and said, "What about her brother...? Is Xavier okay? Do you know if he is with Kristina or not?" It had just occurred to Michael that his car might not have been the only one to be sabotaged.

"Sure, we can stop by your house and pick up your sons and take them back to Sonny's house with us. As a mother I know that there is nothing more important that holding them after something like this. I would be holding Michael right now if I thought he'd let me." said Carly laughing softly. "Xavier is over at Alexis' house right now with Kristina and the rest of the kids. We called to tell her about the accident because we didn't want her to get the news from anyone else and panic."

Sonny rounded the corner and smiled seeing Michael. He walked over to his son and hugged him tightly. It didn't matter that Michael had grown taller than his father. Sonny just saw the same little boy he had raised. He released Michael from the hug and said, "How are you feeling son? How are you feeling Rose?"

Michael smiled at Sonny and said, "I am fine dad...I am barely in any pain." Michael pulled back from the hug and tried not to wince. Truth be told he was in a lot of pain his ribs ached, but he didn't want his parents to worry about him anymore than they were already worried.

"I am okay." said Rose.

Sonny said, "Well, we should get the two of you out of here. Max and Milo are waiting in the car downstairs. We are going to go to my house first. Jason is going to meet us over there..." After his conversation with Lucky and Dante, Sonny knew that he needed to have a frank discussion with his son to find out what was going on. Dante read Sonny the statements about the crash and then told him what he thought. Sonny needed to know if there was something he needed to protect his son from in the course of this investigation.

"Actually, we need to stop at Rose's house so that she can pick up her sons. She'd really like to see them. I told her that we could pick them up and then go to your house." said Carly as they walked to the limo together.

Sonny nodded and said "Sure we can do that." Sonny filled Milo in on their change of plans and then climbed into the limo.

Once everyone was settled in the car and they were on their way to Rose's house Carly asked "So how did this accident happen...?" Carly was never one to mince words and she wasn't about to start tonight. Her gaze was directed at Rose since Lucky had said it looked like she wanted to say something.

Rose said, "Michael saw a dog in the road at the last minute. He swerved to miss it and we just ended up running into the tree...it all happened so very fast..."

"And that is what you told Dante and Lucky...am I right?" asked Carly quirking an eyebrow at her. "They don't believe you. They don't have a way to contradict you but they don't believe you." said Carly. She didn't believe Rose either. Carly looked at her son.

Michael said, "They can believe whatever they want...the truth is the truth, and they can't prove otherwise. I am sorry about the damage to the car. Lucky said that it was totaled. I know that you can't be happy with me dad...especially since you just bought the car for me in August..."

Sonny shook his head. "Son, that car is just a material item. I can replace it...I am more concerned about you and about Rose. From the way Dante and Lucky described the accident...the two of you are very lucky that you were able to walk away from it with only minor injuries. Because of who you are... the PCPD is going to take a close look at this accident. If there is a truth to be told...you need to tell me son, so that I can try to fix this for you. The problem with the story that you are telling is that there are no skid marks at the scene of the accident...which means you didn't hit your brakes at all. You swerved and went right into the tree."

Carly shuddered visibly imagining the accident in her mind.

"I was going the speed limit, dad. It was dark out on the road and I didn't see the dog until the very last minute. I am a young driver...I just didn't react well to the circumstances and I am sorry about that." said Michael confidently.

Rose gave Michael a skeptical look. She wanted to tell the truth, but she was torn. She wanted to support Michael and his wishes, but at the same time they were playing with fire. Franco was no longer just taunting Michael tonight he could have killed them both.

Michael saw the look on Rose's face, and he took her hand squeezing it gently. He kissed her cheek and quietly whispered. "We are okay, baby."

"Something happened in that car that caused the accident. I think you are trying to protect my son...but if it is something health wise...I need to know so that I can get him the help that he needs. Did you have a seizure Michael?" asked Carly.

"I am not lying to you about what happened. There would be no reason to do that. Michael is fine health wise. He hasn't had a seizure in months." said Rose not wanting Carly to worry about a medical condition that Michael didn't have.

Michael said "Mom, I know that you are worried, but there is nothing for you to worry about." Michael ran a frustrated hand across his head trying to figure out what to do. He didn't want to upset his parents. There was so much going on in everyone's lives right now.

Carly said "Okay...then I want you to tell me in detail how this crash occurred. Michael you are a good driver. I don't buy that you didn't try to step on the brakes at all...I just don't believe that..." Carly reached over and took Sonny's hand squeezing it. "Rose…" said Carly hoping Rose would crack under pressure.

"Michael and I were running late because our dinner with you and Sonny ran longer than we intended it to. Michael suggested that I text Kristina and ask her to pick up my brother, Xavier, while she was out to pick up Morgan. Kristina agreed so Michael and I headed to the grocery store to buy snacks for the movie. Michael and I were talking and a dog ran out in the road. Michael swerved so that we didn't hit the dog. That is all there is to this story...no more...no less. Maybe we were driving a little quickly but not over the speed limit or anything." said Rose. Rose twisted Michael's class ring that rested on her thumb. She frowned seeing the brace on her sprained wrist. She knew that keeping this secret was dangerous. She hated the position that she was in at the moment.

Sonny said "We can talk about this more when we get back to my house..." Sonny could see how tense everyone was.

Soon the car stopped at Rose's house. Michael said "I am going to go in and help Rose get the boys ready." Michael climbed out of the car with Rose and headed into the house with her.

Rose walked into the main house and went to the playroom first to see if the boys were there. She smiled seeing them playing in the middle of the floor. Rose took in a deep breath feeling tears wetting her eyes. She walked over and sat down on the floor with the boys. Rose gently pulled them onto her lap groaning in pain because her wrist was sprained. Rose kissed both of their heads. "Do you realize how close I came tonight to never seeing them again...how close I came to losing you? I know that you angled the car so that your side would take the brunt of the impact."

The nanny walked out of the room to give Rose and Michael privacy.

"I am sorry about what happened tonight. I never thought that Franco would go this far. He likes to get Jason's attention...and I guess my death would have done that." said Michael sitting down on the floor with her. He kissed her temple and ruffled the boys' hair as they sat in her lap.

"Michael...I think that we need to be honest with your parents about what is going on." said Rose as she sighed a little. She knew that Michael didn't want to but she was scared.

"My parents are drowning as it is right now anyway. My dad is freaking out about Brenda being gone. My mother's marriage with Jax is on the rocks and that always causes problems. The last thing either of them need is having to deal with my problems. Let me handle this...okay...do you trust me to handle it?" asked Michael.

"Of course I trust you, Michael. But it isn't just the two of us that are in danger. Didn't you tell me that Franco once kidnapped Lulu and Sam?" asked Rose. "Or that he has a strange obsession with your younger sister, Josslyn? Don't you think that at least Jason should know what is going on so that he can make sure that everyone else is protected? Michael, Franco is a psycho and he could have killed us tonight. Sure he didn't try to kill us directly...but there was a 50-50 shot either way that we didn't make it out of that car accident."

Nicolas giggled and crawled over into Michael's lap holding up his stuffed bear. "Mikey!" said Nicolas laughing happily.

Michael sighed listening to Rose talk. He rubbed his temples thinking it over. Michael chuckled and said "I am happy to see you too little guy. What do you have here?" Michael tickled Nicolas' stomach making the little boy laugh.

"What if Roman and Nicolas are with us next time?" asked Rose looking down at her sons.

Michael listened to her and knew that she was right. He looked at Nicolas sitting in his lap and sighed softly. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple. "Okay...you are right...I can't keep this from them. There is a lot at stake and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to someone I cared about because I was too prideful to ask for help..." said Michael.

"It wouldn't be because of you, Michael. You didn't do this...Franco chose to make you a target. None of this is your fault, but we've got to tell your parents the truth about this. They know that we are lying. The cops know that we are lying. They aren't going to let this go until we come up with the truth." said Rose.

Michael leaned in and kissed her softly. "Okay...we can tell them. You always appeal to the better part of me, Rose. Let's get these two ready to go." Michael stood up picking up Nicolas. He took Roman from her arms. "You go get their bag and I will get them into their coats..." said Michael.

"You are a good person, Michael. And beyond anything you try to live your life with honor. All of you is the better part of you. Thank you Michael." said Rose. She kissed his cheek and headed out to the guesthouse.

Michael took the boys to the living room and grabbed their coats. He set them down on the ground and said "You know...it is my job to protect you guys and your mommy...and I am going do that." Michael put on Roman and Nicolas' coats and zipped them up.

Rose returned a few minutes later with their hats and their bag. Rose kneeled down and put their hats on for them. "Thank you for putting their coats on." said Rose.

Michael said "No, problem." He picked up the boys and carried them out to the limo.

Carly opened the door from inside.

"Mom, can you hold Nicolas and Roman? Rose and I need to get their car seats out of her car." said Michael balancing both boys.

This was Carly's first time meeting Nicolas and Roman. She smiled and said "Sure..." Carly accepted both boys holding them on her lap.

Michael and Rose walked to the garage and grabbed the car seats out of her car and went back to the limo climbing. They made quick work of getting the car seats buckled into the car. Michael smiled and said "Okay you can hand the boys to me mom..."

Carly passed them over to Michael and Rose and watched as they got both boys buckled into their car seats.

The short car ride to Sonny's house was mostly filled with silence. Everyone knew that they were building up to something. The limo pulled up outside of Sonny's house and Milo opened the car door for them.

Sonny said "I can help Michael get Nicolas and Roman out of the car..." he nodded to Rose's sprained wrist.

"Oh...thank you." said Rose. She climbed out of the car carrying the boys' bag and her purse

Carly climbed out with her and the two women headed into the house where Jason was already waiting for them. "Jason..." said Carly. She hugged Jason tightly. "Michael and Sonny are on their way inside now..." said Carly. Carly poured a glass of scotch feeling like she was going to need it. She had a seat on the couch.

Sonny and Michael walked in a few moments later with Roman and Nicolas in tow. Sonny closed the doors to the living room so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

Michael and Rose got the boys settled on the floor with the toys they brought along for them. Once Michael knew that the boys were settled he walked over to the couch with Rose and had a seat. "I have something that I need to tell all of you..."

Jason said "What's going on Michael?" Jason was standing at the bar.

Michael looked at Rose and nodded his head.

Rose sighed and reached for her purse. She pulled out a CD and said "Michael and I were talking in the car tonight...and he turned on the CD player. We had been listening to his One Republic CD on the way to Metro Court tonight. But when the CD player started playing...it wasn't music...it was a man's voice. It was Franco..."

"You crashed because of something Franco said?" asked Jason feeling his blood boil. Franco had been a thorn in Jason's side for a long time now. But Franco always seemed to appear when Jason had more urgent things to attend to. But tonight Franco had nearly gotten his nephew killed. Jason didn't care if he had to kill Franco in the middle of Times' Square he was going to take this bastard out. Jason walked over taking the CD. He would have to listen to this himself.

"That's not why we crashed..." said Rose in a quiet voice. Rose looked at Michael and gently squeezing his hand. This was his story and he needed to be the one to tell it, but she could see the muscles in his face tightening as he thought about Franco...as he thought about Carter.

"Franco said a lot of things but at the end of the track Franco said to buckle up. Rose ejected the CD from the player because she could see that I was freaking out." said Michael shaking his head. He could remember the words vividly. All he could remember thinking about at that moment was what Carter did to him and the fact that he wanted revenge. Michael stood up and walked to the doors that led out to the patio. He couldn't think straight at the moment.

Rose watched Michael feeling her heart break a little. "I shoved the CD into my purse because I didn't know what else to do with it. And then the car started going faster. I knew Michael was angry...I told him to slow down. He told me he couldn't...there was something wrong with the brakes. Michael told me to hold on, and he aimed for the tree hoping that it'd stop the car." said Rose.

Michael stared out the patio doors and said "The crash knocked me out, but I thought I saw a car slow down...and then keep going. I don't remember anything else until I woke up in the ambulance."

"Why didn't you want us to know about this?" asked Carly. Her heart was racing. Her son had very nearly lost his life tonight and he hadn't intended on telling her. Carly walked over to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Michael...?" asked Carly in a quiet voice.

"There is so much going on right now I didn't think that anyone would have time to deal with my problem. I didn't want to make things any harder for Jason and dad than they already are." said Michael. He refused to look at his mother he didn't want her to see him like this.

"Michael, it is my job to protect you. I know that you are an adult and I respect that. But when you are in trouble or if someone like Franco is threatening you...you have to come to me so that I can protect you." said Jason. "Nothing...is more important than that. I'm sorry if somehow you have gotten the idea that you aren't important."

Sonny said "Brenda means a lot to me. I love her. But I would never put her well-being over that of my children. I know that I have not been myself lately, but you can always depend on me son." Sonny couldn't believe that he was so wrapped up in his own life that he had missed out on the fact that Michael was in serious trouble. His son could have lost his life tonight and Sonny wouldn't have even known why.

"It isn't that...I just know how much Brenda means to you, dad. You have to find her. I didn't want to put any more pressure on you." said Michael. "I thought that I could handle Franco myself..." That was all Michael really wanted. He wanted to watch the life drain from Franco's body.

"Michael..." said Carly hearing a coldness in her son's voice that sent chills through her body. She looked at his reflection on the glass of the door and saw something she had never seen before. In that moment, Michael looked so much like Jason that it scared her. Carly tossed a worried glance at Jason and Sonny. "Michael, are you okay?" asked Carly.

"I am fine mom. You don't have to worry about me." Michael walked back over to the couch and had a seat beside Rose. He tried to regain his composure. Michael hated seeing the worried look on his mother's face.

"This isn't the first time that Franco has made contact with Michael..." said Rose.

"What do you mean this isn't the first time?" asked Jason incredulously.

Roman walked over to the couch with his stuffed dog. "Up..." said Roman rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Michael picked up Roman realizing that the little boy was sleepy. "Come here little guy..." said Michael soothingly. Michael rubbed Roman's back.

"The night Brenda was kidnapped... I stopped at a gas station after I left mom's house that night. When I came out of the gas station I saw a man running way from my car. The man left a photocopied picture of Carter on the windshield." said Michael trying to keep calm since he was holding Roman. "I went back into the gas station and paid the cashier to let me see the surveillance tapes. I was able to get the license plate of the car the guy was driving. I debated taking the plate number to Spinelli. I wanted to kill the guy...that was all that I could think about. That was all that I could feel...but I went to Rose's house, and she talked me down. Got me to see that killing the guy wouldn't give me the satisfaction that I thought it would. I wouldn't even be telling you this now if Rose didn't convince me that we needed to tell the truth. Also, I got an e-mail from Franco with some pictures attached to it. It seems like he's been having someone following me" said Michael.

"This stops now." said Jason. He was going to have to make finding Franco is top priority but he didn't know to do that and look for Brenda, but he was going to have to make it happen. "Michael, I need you to forward that e-mail to Spinelli so that he can try to track it."

Sonny shook his head and looked at Jason. "We need security for both of them...all of the kids for that matter. If Franco is looking to get your attention he will keep escalating until he gets it. You should warn Dante and Lucky so that they can keep Lulu safe." Sonny ran a frustrated hand over his face. "Jason and I are going to have a talk. Rose, we are going to call your father and clue him into what is going on." said Sonny. He nodded to Jason and the two men walked out of the room.

Michael sighed a little. He hated putting extra stress on Sonny and Jason at a time like this. Michael stood up from the couch feeling the nervous energy surging through his body. He let Roman rest his head on his shoulder and quietly paced the room with the boy. "Mom, do you know how much longer dad is going to want us here? It is really time to get Nicolas and Roman home for the night so that they can go to sleep."

Rose walked over and picked up Nicolas. The little boy was starting to look tired as well. She went back and sat on the couch holding him.

Carly shook her head. "I am not sure. Sonny and Jason are probably trying to work out security right now. It isn't safe for either of you. Franco is trying to get Jason's attention this was just a shot over the bow. The onslaught is sure to come." Carly watched Michael and Rose caring for the little boys. "Which boy is which?" asked Carly curiously.

Michael looked over and said "This is Roman. And Rose is holding Nicolas. They're three years old." Michael continued his pacing and lightly rubbed Roman's back.

Carly nodded and looked over at Rose. "Is their father in the picture? Or their paternal grandparents?" asked Carly.

"Mom..." said Michael in a warning voice. He knew that this was a sore subject for Rose. He looked over at Rose to see if she was alright.

"It's okay Michael. I don't mind answering the question." Rose shook her head. "No, he signed away his parental rights. He was out of their lives before Nicolas and Roman were ever born. I haven't had contact with him since then...his parents aren't involved either."

"Wasn't ready to be a father?" asked Carly.

"Mom...that is enough. Rose isn't here to be grilled by you." said Michael.

"You are marrying this girl. I want to know about her. She is joining our family. Her sons are joining our family. I think it is only right...I am willing to share about myself as well." said Carly.

"He was my second high school boyfriend. He was abusive. I pressed charges and he went to juvenile for six months. When he was finally released he moved to Spain to attend boarding school...trying to get away from the label of woman batterer."

Jason walked into the room. "Michael, Sonny and I need to talk to you out here. It'll only be a couple of minutes."

Michael nodded. "Okay."

Carly said "I can hold Roman. Looks like he is almost asleep..."

Michael walked over and gently handed Roman to Carly. He walked over to Rose. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Michael didn't like the idea of leaving Rose with Carly because she was likely to grill her. Michael walked out of the room with Jason and followed him into the study. "What's going on?" Michael had a seat and looked between his father and uncle.

Sonny said "I am sorry that you felt like you couldn't come to us with something this big. Jason is going to get back to looking for Franco. In the meantime we've arranged security for you and your siblings. Rose's father, Marco, has offered to provide security for you and Rose. Which his good, because we don't want any trouble from the courts about our bodyguards being with you. I know it will be an inconvenience but this is the way it has to be until we catch Franco."

"What are we going to do about the cops? What are we supposed to tell them?" asked Michael.

"We will tell Lucky the truth and see what he can do about keeping the Franco situation under wraps. Franco feeds off the attention. The last thing we need is everyone knowing that Franco is back. We'll feel out Dante to see where he is on the situation. Someone needs to be looking out for Lulu. But don't give any statements without Diane being present until we work everything out. Rose shouldn't either. It won't be long until they process your car and realize that the brake line was cut...they'll probably think it is a mob hit first and foremost." said Jason.

"Okay, I will keep Diane's number handy just in case. And I will let Rose know that she shouldn't say anything either." said Michael.

"Marco is sending over your security detail and then you guys can head home for the night. I am assuming that you are staying the night with Rose?" asked Sonny.

Michael nodded and said "Yeah, I am staying the night with Rose tonight. I wouldn't feel right leaving her alone. Can I use your computer to forward that e-mail to Spinelli?"

Sonny nodded and said "Go ahead." He stood up so that Michael could sit behind the desk.

Michael walked over having a seat behind the desk. He had to take a moment to smile this was where he wanted to be.

Sonny watched his son and chuckled. "Don't get any ideas. Just send the e-mail and give me my seat back."

Jason shook his head. "So I hear that congratulations are in order...you and Rose are going to get married?"

Michael nodded and said "Sure, if she is still willing to marry me after a psychopath nearly killed both of us..."

Jason chuckled. "I think if she was going to run for the hills she would have already made her move. I am happy for you Michael and I want you to know that if you ever need anything... I don't care what else is going on you need to call me."

"Don't worry I don't think Rosie is going to let me get away with not telling." said Michael standing up. "I forwarded the e-mail to Spinelli."

Sonny walked over and hugged Michael.

After awhile the night wrapped up and the security detail that Marco Marino arranged arrived to transport Michael, Rose, Nicolas, and Roman home for the night.


	14. Chapter 14

Over the next five days Michael and Rose lived their lives with a security detail following them wherever they went. There was no relief as Jason scoured the eastern seaboard for Franco. Franco dropped breadcrumbs for Jason to follow. As much as it bothered Jason he allowed Spinelli and Dante to do the heavy lifting to find Brenda. And they were drawing closer by the days. Michael was spending almost every night at Rose's house. He felt better knowing that she was safe. He was trying to maintain a somewhat normal life going to school and going to baseball practice. He spent time with his younger siblings. But it was hard when a psychopath was out to kill him. Michael and Rose sat down with Rose's father, Marco, the day he got back from London to tell him about their engagement. He was skeptical as any parent would be, but ultimately realized there wasn't much he could do to derail them. Diane had held off the police for as long as she could but today Michael and Rose were both due at the PCPD for questioning about Michael's car accident. Michael looked at his watch as they left school. Jason had informed Michael to tell the truth but to leave Franco out of it and that was just what he was going to do. "You okay?" asked Michael looking over at Rose.

Rose smiled at Michael. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "I am fine, Michael. This will be a breeze..." said Rose chuckling quietly. She wasn't very worried about the questioning she was more worried about Michael. Rose pulled her long dark locks up into a ponytail as the SUV came to a stop in front of the PCPD. A guard opened the door and helped Rose out of the SUV.

Michael climbed out right behind her and followed Rose into the police department where Diane Miller was waiting for both of them. Michael walked over to Diane. "Sorry we were late. Coach wanted to talk to me about this weekend's game." Michael loosened his tie. He hated wearing the uniform.

"It is fine. This is more of an interview than an interrogation anyway. Michael they want to talk to you first. Detective Spencer and Detective Dimestico are going to be conducting the interview. I will make sure to keep a leash on Detective Dimestico." said Diane. She was well aware of Det. Dimestico's overzealous tactics.

"Great, Ronnie hates my guts..." said Michael running a frustrated hand over his blond hair. He closed his eyes for a minute preparing for the interview. He had to keep his temper in check. And that was very hard to do with the aggressive way Ronnie acted.

Rose smiled at Michael. "You are going to do fine. You are innocent. You didn't do anything wrong." She leaned up and kissed him.

Michael smiled at her and said "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Michael walked toward the interview room. He looked over his shoulder. "I love you babe." said Michael with a wink as he walked into the room. He had a seat at the metal table. He frowned seeing Ronnie Dimestico but tried to hide it as well as he could.

Diane had a seat next to Michael. "We are here to discuss the events of the night of the accident. Any questions diverging from that will not be answered by my client. We are here to put this matter to rest, so that my client can move on with his senior year of high school."

Lucky closed the door behind him and said "Michael, why don't you tell me what happened the night of the accident..." Lucky had a seat on the other side of the table tapping a pen lightly against the cool metal table. Of course he knew the truth; Sonny and Jason had clued him into the real deal days ago. This was just for the official report. Lucky had gotten himself into this interview to protect Michael from Dimestico.

Ronnie leaned against the wall looking angry that Lucky was even there to begin with. He sucked on his teeth waiting to hear the pack of lies Michael Corinthos III was about to regale them with.

"Rose and I had dinner at the Metro Court with my parents that night. We left around 8:00...we were headed toward Rose's house on Harborview Road, to pick up her younger brother, Xavier. I asked Rose to call Krissy and ask her if she could pick up Xavier while she was out picking up Morgan." said Michael.

"Why the change of plans?" quipped Ronnie still holding his defensive position.

"Dinner ran longer than it should have. Rose and I were just supposed to have dinner together and then pick up Xavier so that we could all meet up and watch a movie at Alexis Davis' home. But my parents joined us for dinner and it lasted longer than we intended. Rose and I were supposed to stop off to pick up snacks as well. So it was easier if Krissy picked up Xavier. That way we could just stop at the store and then go straight to the lake house." said Michael.

"Who was supposed to be there?" asked Ronnie.

"My sister Kristina and her boyfriend Taylor. My brother Morgan. My cousin Molly. And we asked Krissy to pick up Rose's brother, Xavier." said Michael. "Krissy texted Rose back and said that she would pick up Xavier so I took a side street and headed down Lexington to get to the store. It was around that time that I went down a small hill and when I came to the end of that hill I tried to put on brakes to slow the car down...the brakes wouldn't work. I stomped on the brakes several times and nothing happened. I didn't want to run the risk of running into someone or another car...so I aimed my car for a tree...and we crashed. The crash knocked me out...I don't remember anything after that point." said Michael.

"Does that satisfy your curiosity detectives?" asked Diane Miller.

"Well, your accident occurred because your brake line had been cut." said Dimestico putting a photo of the severed brake line in front of Michael. "But then again I am sure that you already knew that since you now have your own security team following you everywhere. Do you know anyone that would want to hurt you, Michael? Do you have any enemies?" asked Dimestico.

Michael didn't bother looking at Ronnie Dimestico. "No, I don't know anyone that would want to hurt me. The only people I have a problem with are kids at my school. They make fun of you...not try to kill you." said Michael.

"And you have no idea who did this...none whatsoever...even though Jason Morgan has been busy since the night of the accident...it seems to me that he is looking for the perpetrator." said Ronnie.

"My client cannot speak to the actions or whereabouts of Jason Morgan. Do you have any other relevant questions for my client?" asked Diane with a scowl that could send a chill up most men's spines.

"Don't treat me like I am the enemy here. I am just trying to find out which one of Sonny's enemies tried to kill his kid. You'd think that he'd want to cooperate with the investigation. But no. I guess he has his hitman out there to do his dirty work...get justice on his own. Maybe you don't mind being collateral damage to your father's business but do you care that you nearly got your pretty little girlfriend killed?" asked Dimestico walking over and slamming his fist on the table for emphasis.

"My client has nothing to say about that. Detective Dimestico, perhaps you should look into some anger management classes. You have some very serious issues with rage." said Diane.

"Your client is trying to protect his daddy. The last time he did that he ended up in prison. I don't think he wants to do that again." said Ronnie sneering. "Lying to police can get Michael's parole violated and he will be back in Pentonville with the rest of the animals. Or maybe he will just take another bullet to the head."

Michael clenched his fists but didn't say anything. Hatred burned in his eyes.

Lucky saw Diane about to tear into Ronnie and spoke up first. "That is enough, Dimestico. You cool down or you take a walk..." Lucky stood up so that he was staring at Ronnie. Lucky knew that Michael had problems controlling his rage and he didn't want to give the young man the time to react.

"Everyone circles the wagons, but they can't protect you forever." said Ronnie storming out of the room. He figured he'd have better luck with Rose.

Lucky watched Ronnie leave. He turned to Michael. "Are you okay?" Lucky was becoming more concerned about Ronnie's obsession with Sonny and Jason. Michael was Lucky's younger cousin he wasn't willing to allow Ronnie Dimestico to turn Michael into bait.

Michael nodded and said "I am fine...it is hard not letting him get under my skin." Michael sighed a little shaking his head.

Lucky said "You did a good job, Michael. Why don't you head on out? I am going to bring Rose in. I will try to get you both out of here as soon as possible."

Michael stood up and walked around the table. "Thanks Lucky. Thank you Diane..." Michael walked out of the interview room with Lucky.

Lucky walked over to Rose. "Alright, we are ready for you."

Rose stood up and said "Okay." She smiled at Michael a moment and then headed into the interview room and walked around to sit next to Diane.

Lucky walked into the room and had a seat. "We are just waiting on Detective Dimestico and then we can get started." Lucky glanced at his watch wondering where Ronnie had disappeared to that quickly.

Ronnie walked into the room with a file folder in his hand and closed the door to the interview room. He had a seat across from them. "Rose Marino...so you are Michael Corinthos' girlfriend. At first I was wondering what a nice girl like you was doing with a mobster's son. A murderer…a felon. That is until I did a little digging. You are the granddaughter of a mobster...the niece of one of the biggest bosses in the Southeastern United States. So this is probably normal for you."

"Are you editorializing Detective Dimestico or do you have actual questions?" asked Diane. Diane tapped her manicured nails against the metal table. "You limit your questions to the scope of the accident or this interview is over! Rose was not driving she is only doing this interview as a courtesy." said Diane forcefully.

Lucky spoke up. "Rose, just tell us what you remember about the night of the accident, please." He shot a glare at Dimestico and picked up his pen so that he could take her statement.

Rose said "Michael and I were headed to the grocery store to pick up junk food for movie night. We turned onto Lexington and then onto Briarwood. After we went down the hill Michael started pressing on the brakes and nothing was happening. He told me that there was something wrong with the brakes. I was freaked out...I didn't know what we were going to do. Michael told me to hold on and then he jerked the wheel and we ran into this really big tree. The airbag kind of stunned me. I called out for Michael but he was unconscious. I tried to call for help but I passed out."

Ronnie ignored Lucky's glare. "Do you have any ideas about who would want to see Michael dead?" asked Dimestico.

Rose shook her head. "No, I don't know of anyone that would want to hurt Michael. He's a great guy."

Dimestico asked "Do you know anyone who would want to see you dead?"

"No, I don't know anyone that would want to hurt me either..." said Rose.

"What about someone that would want to get back at your uncle, Constantino Marino, I am sure he has a lot of enemies and a good way to get back at him would be to go after his only niece." said Dimestico.  
Diane said "We are done here. If you have any other questions for either of my clients you will do so through me." Diane stood up and closed her briefcase. Diane walked Rose out of the interview room and over to Michael. "Neither of you are to talk to the police for any reason without talking to me first. If they show up at your home, at school, at the park...anywhere...you call me first. Always invoke your right to counsel. And that includes talking to Dante."

Michael nodded. "We understand. I made the mistake of talking without my lawyer once before and I landed in prison. I won't make that mistake again...thank you for everything, Diane." said Michael gratefully.

"There is no need for thanks. That is why your father and Jason pay me the big bucks..." said Diane with a smile. "I am a brilliant attorney and a bestselling author. Really...just a miracle worker..." said Diane with a laugh as she walked with them out of the PCPD.

Michael chuckled as the SUV pulled up and one of the guards opened the door for them. Michael climbed into the SUV after Rose. "I need to go check in with my dad to make sure he is doing okay. He wasn't doing well last night when I went over for dinner. I think he is slowly starting to give up hope. Mom and I were both trying to be positive for him last night but truth be told, for as long as she has been missing..."

Rose nodded and said "I know...but it is good that you guys had dinner with him last night. He needs his family right now more than ever. I am going to go home and spend some time with the boys and work on my homework...that way I will be ready for our date tonight. Where are we going?"

Michael said "I figured we could go to Metro Court. I made reservations last night. I hope that is okay...I promise my mother isn't going to be there..." He smiled at her.

Rose laughed and said "Okay, sounds like a good idea to me. I am getting used to your mom popping up when we least expect it. I've sort of made it into a game in my head."

"I am glad that you can laugh about it. It would have scared a lot of girls off." said Michael with a smile. When the car pulled up at Sonny's house Michael kissed her. "I love you, babe. I will see you around ?"

"Lucky for you I don't scare easily. I love you too, Michael. I'll be ready at 8." said Rose with a smile as she watched him hop out of the SUV and head into Sonny's house.

"Dad...?" asked Michael walking into the living room.

Sonny was sitting on the couch with a glass of scotch clutched in his hand. He looked up hearing Michael walk into the room. He smiled a little at his son and stood up. "How are you doing? Diane called and said that the interview went okay with the police." said Sonny.

Michael walked over and hugged Sonny. "Yeah, it went good. Ronnie tried to get under my skin, but Lucky and Diane were good at getting him to back off. How are you doing Dad?" Michael walked over to the window and opened the curtains letting some sunshine into the room.

"Try not to take it personally, son. Ronnie doesn't actually have anything against you. It is me and Jason that he wants. He's just angry because he hasn't been able to arrest us on anything. And of course Claire getting that tape thrown out in my last case really made him hate me more. I am doing alright…I am worried about Brenda. Dante is doing everything he can but, it doesn't seem to be enough. How was school?" asked Sonny getting up to refresh his drink.

"I know that you are worried about Brenda, Dad. But Dante is doing his best. School was pretty good actually. Everyone is sort of anticipating college acceptance letters so that has been a big topic. I am sort of waiting on pins and needles to find out if I got into NYU or Columbia. Not that it would change my plans if I didn't. It would just make things different. Instead of going to college I would just continue my internship at ELQ." said Michael.

"I have faith that you are going to get into one of your schools, Michael. You've been through so much...you deserve a little sliver of happiness. I was talking to your mother today...and we were thinking that we'd like to host an engagement party for you and Rose. Show our support for the two of you." said Sonny.

"Wow...an engagement party?" asked Michael a little surprised. "I didn't think you and mom were really on board with this whole marriage idea." said Michael chuckling a little.

"Well, we both have our apprehensions but we realize that you are happy and you are an adult. We'd rather support you than be your enemy." said Sonny. "Carly and I were thinking about the party being in about a month. Once things have settled down somewhat..."

"I will talk to Rose about the engagement party but I don't see why she'd have any problem with it. Thanks Dad...for supporting me in this. I know you and Mom aren't happy about it but I feel like this is the best decision for me. Has mom been over here today?" asked Michael seeing that Sonny was in the same clothes he'd been wearing last night.

Sonny shook his head. "No, Jax got pretty angry about her having Morgan over here last night for dinner. She said that she would be over later tonight. I told her that she shouldn't come over if it is going to cause more problems with Jax."

"You know that Mom isn't going to stay away from you. She is worried about you...we all are." said Michael. "We know how hard you are taking this and we all just want to be here for you, as much as you will let us." said Michael.

"You all aren't nearly as sneaky as you think you are. Molly stopped here with Alexis after school. She brought me one of those _Chicken Soup for the Soul_ books. Morgan tried to get Carly to let him stay the night last night. All of you are children...I don't need you guys to take care of me. I want all of you to be out enjoying your lives." said Sonny

"We are family, Dad. We are supposed to look out for one another. And right now...you need us. You have bipolar and so you are prone to depression. This situation is just making that worse. So maybe you need a little extra care." said Michael. "I did my homework during study hall this afternoon so why don't we watch a movie or something. We can watch that movie the Hangover." said Michael standing up. "Let's go Dad." insisted Michael.

Sonny chuckled a little. "Alright, we can watch a movie. So, have you decided when you are going to give Rose her engagement ring?" Sonny stood up and walked out of the living room with Michael heading to the media room.

"Soon..." said Michael with a smile.

Later that night Michael walked into the Metro Court with Rose. He was a little nervous, but he was trying his best to hide that fact from her. Michael and Rose were shown to their table and he pulled out her chair for her.

"Thank you." Rose took off her coat and had a seat at the table. "This is a really nice surprise, Michael. Things have been so crazy lately. Although I have to say I am a little worried that your mom is going to make a surprise appearance at the table." She laughed to let Michael know that she was only joking.

Michael had a seat across the table from her and said "I wouldn't put it past my mother. She has a way of being at the worst possible place at the worst possible time. How is your wrist?" Michael still felt guilty about the car accident. He knew that it probably wouldn't have happened if he had just gone to Jason or his father to begin with. It was a life lesson he learned the hard way. He just hated that Rose suffered as well.

Rose looked down at her wrist that was still being cradled by a brace. "It is slowly getting better. I have some pain, but it isn't bad. I've broken my arm before so this is a piece of cake. How are your ribs?" asked Rose. She had been just as concerned about Michael. Although he had not complained of any pain, she could tell that he was hurting.

"My ribs ache...a lot actually. But Dr. Drake prescribed some meds for me so it hasn't been too bad. I didn't really want you to know. Because you worry...like a lot..." said Michael laughing quietly. He smiled at Rose before picking up his menu.

"You aren't as good at hiding it as you think you are. You wince when you turn over in bed at night. And yes... I worry but I love you and that is what you do when the person you love is hurting. Like you picking up the boys for me because of my wrist." said Rose. She picked up the menu and tried to figure out what to order. "How is your dad doing?" asked Rose.

He chuckled and said "I thought I was hiding it better...I've got to get better." he looked at his menu as well. "I stopped by there after we split up this afternoon. He is not doing well. He feels like he is really close to finding Brenda. And it can't happen soon enough. The longer she is missing the greater the odds that she won't be alive when they find her. But he is holding up well. My mom has been there for him in a very big way. But I am worried about her now too." said Michael.

The waiter approached the table and took their orders.

Once the waiter was gone Rose asked "What is going on with your mom? I know she seemed flustered when I talked to her yesterday. She was nice to me, but I could tell that there was something wrong."

"Jax, has Josslyn and wants to change the custody agreement they have in place. He wants my mom to cut out the dangerous people in her life or she'll only get visitation with Joss. He tried to do the same with Morgan, but he never finalized that adoption so he doesn't have any rights when it comes to Morgan. Of course this is hurting my mom...a lot because she loves Jax. But I am not really worried about that. I am more worried about the fact that my mother will do just about anything to get what she wants. Which means Jax could be in a world of hurt if he keeps this up. And Jason and my dad are both too busy to put the brakes on any plan she might cook up." said Michael.

Rose shook his head. "You have got to be kidding me? What danger is he talking about anyway?"

"He caught the guy Shawn Butler in mom's house. And mom has been taking Josslyn over to my dad's house. I seriously don't know why Jax married my mother. He had to have known what he was getting himself into when he married my mom." said Michael shaking his head.

"Well, sometimes people think they can change the other person, but most of the time people don't change. And if they do compromise who they are...in the end they resent you. They resent the life you have together." said Rose. "My mother definitely resents my father."

"I never want the two of us to be that way...fighting each other tooth and nail. Trying to make the other person be something they aren't..." said Michael reaching out to take her hand.

"That is not going to happen to us because we accept one another for who we are. From what you've told me Jax has never truly accepted all of your mother. Just the parts that he wanted. You can't do that...you have to take the whole person. I know who you are Michael Corinthos III and that is the man I want to marry." said Rose with a smile.

Michael smiled and said "And I love you for who you are. The smart, beautiful, funny woman that you are. I can't wait to make you my wife. That is one of the reasons I brought you here tonight." Michael reached into his pants' pocket and set a ring box on the table.

"Michael?" asked Rose with a grin looking at the box. "I thought...you were going to wait to buy my engagement ring?" asked Rose. She was trying to contain her excitement but she was absolutely giddy.

"Well, I figured since our parents now know the truth...there was no real reason to wait. I had my dad put me in touch with his jeweler, and I took the money out of my trust fund to pay for it. Even though Dad offered to pay for it. I told him it would be weird if I let my father pay for the engagement." Michael stood up from the table and got down on one knee in front of Rose. "Rose Marino, I love you more than I thought was ever possible. My life has been so much better with you in it. Loving you has given me hope for the future. It has made me believe that I have a future worth living...will you marry me?" asked Michael opening the ring box to reveal a white gold engagement ring with a 3 carat cushion cut diamond surrounded by pave diamonds that went around the ring.

Rose's eyes watered as she listened to Michael propose. Rose's eyes widened. She leaned forward and kissed Michael passionately. "Of course I will marry you. That is a serious ring. Oh my god, Michael!" said Rose in shock starring at the ring. "This is...I can't believe you did this or that you proposed all over again. I already said yes..."  
"I wanted to hear you say yes again. Besides, I wanted to propose the traditional way." said Michael. He took the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. "It looks beautiful on you." said Michael. He stood up and had a seat in his chair. "Do you really like the ring? I tried to sneak a peek at your jewelry to figure out what you like."

"Michael, this ring is amazing and it is perfect for me. I love white gold. I do not wear yellow gold. I love cushion cut diamonds they are beautiful and really stand out...this ring is perfect for me." said Rose looking down at her engagement ring.

The waiter walked over with their meals.

Michael and Rose started eating dinner. Michael said "I am just glad that you like it. I struggled to figure out which ring to buy. but that one seemed like the closest to what you would like. I can't believe that it is almost March. Before we know it the end of the school year will be here. This year has gone really fast."

Rose said "You did a top-notch job picking out this ring, Michael. I couldn't ask for a better one." Rose took a bite of her dinner and nodded at him. "What started out as a difficult school year for me turned out to be awesome. I met a great guy and he just gave me an amazing ring. Graduation is right around the corner too. Then we have a wedding to plan. Which my Dad is on board with paying for...he literally used the words go crazy. He wants to do the huge wedding. I am his only daughter. Hell, I am the only girl in my family. But it isn't as if we have many friends to invite." She laughed.

"Well, we might not have friends but our families...have friends..." said Michael. "I am glad that you mentioned that actually. Today when I was talking to my Dad, he mentioned hosting an engagement party for us sometime next month. You know get both families together. Let everyone sort of get to know one another. He was thinking about hosting it at his place or maybe here at Metro Court. What do you think?" asked Michael.

Rose nodded and said "I know what you mean. When my brother Mateo married Raina. It was a who's who of organized crime...and Raina came from a normal family. Putting two known crime families together...we'll have half the criminals on the East Coast. And half the FBI agents to boot. Not to mention my extended family is large and it appears that yours is too. Think we could get away with not having a big wedding?"

Michael laughed and said "I think that ship has sailed. It will be a big wedding and all we can do is make it enjoyable for the two of us. Oh, my family is large. Of course we'd have to invite Krissy, Morgan, and Molly. My mom, my dad...hopefully Brenda. Jason, Sam, Spinelli, Dante, Lulu, Lucky, Ethan, Maya, Luke, Tracy, Monica, Edward, Brook Lynn, Nikolas, Alexis, my grandmother Bobbie, Grandpa Mike...if he is out of rehab by then, and a lot of other people like Robin and Patrick..."

Rose chuckled. "So half of Port Charles because you are literally related to everyone. My family isn't exactly small either. This is going to be a very big wedding, but it will be fun. I have to admit...I've always wanted a big fairy tale like wedding."

"I sort of figured. I got that from you that night we ended up at my mom's house after we got caught in the rain, and you said that you thought there was one person for everyone." Michael's cell phone started buzzing to let him know he had a text message. Michael checked his message and said "We've got to go...my mom just texted me to say that Dad and Dante found Brenda. She is at the hospital right now. Mom said she thinks Brenda might die...my dad needs me."

Rose's face fell when Michael said that Brenda might die. She nodded and said "Okay...let's go." Rose motioned for the waiter. "Excuse me. We need the check...now please." said Rose. She stood up from the table and pulled on her coat. She took out her cell phone and called the head body guard on their security detail. "Hi...we need you to bring the car around right now. Michael's dad's wife is at the hospital. We are going to go see her." Rose hung up and said "They are bringing the car around now, Michael."

The waiter said "Of course." He walked off to get the check. He came back a few minutes later with the bill.

Michael took out his wallet paying for their meal and leaving a tip. He got up and pulled on his coat.

Rose and Michael headed out of Metro Court and went outside meeting the guards they climbed into the SUV and were whisked away to General Hospital. Rose gently squeezed Michael's hand knowing that he was worried about his dad.

For Michael it felt like the car ride to the hospital took forever. Michael was out of the car almost as soon as the car came to a full stop.

Rose followed Michael's pace and soon they were up on the floor looking for Sonny. "There he is..." said Rose motioning to a distraught Sonny Corinthos pacing the floor.

"Dad..." said Michael walking over to Sonny hugging him. "What is going on with Brenda...?" asked Michael.

Sonny hugged his son for all he was worth. "Theo injected her with some type of neurotoxin... she can't breathe on her own. They had to put her on a respirator. If she doesn't get the right antidote in the next couple of hours..." Sonny couldn't even finish the statement. "You don't have to be here, son."

"Where else am I going to be right now?" asked Michael shaking his head. "I will be here for as long as you need me to be. Rose is here too. Is there anything that you need us to do or get you?"

"Sonny..." said Robin to get his attention.

Sonny said "I'll be back." He walked over to talk to Robin.

Michael walked over to Rose and Kristina. He shook his head letting them know that the news wasn't good. "It doesn't look good. If Brenda actually dies...dad is going to spiral out of control so we are going to have to be there for him Krissy."

"We can hope for the best, but you are right. Dad is going to need us if the worse happens. We can trade off days. I'll visit him on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday." said Kristina. She couldn't believe that Brenda could die. It gave her little faith about the world being fair.

Michael said "And I'll go over on the rest of the days. I was just over there today. I got him to watch a couple of movies with me. He was doing okay, but he was a little more down than he had been these last couple of days. I think it was because my mom didn't come over today."

"I can come with you on some of the days, Michael." said Rose.

"Carly and Dad have been spending a lot of time together...you don't think anything is going on there do you?" asked Kristina curiously. "This is a really inappropriate time to ask that. Sorry."

Michael nodded and said "Thanks, Rosie." Michael turned his attention to Kristina "I don't think anything is going on between them. I just think that my mom knows that Dad needs support right now. But grief has been known to push them together in the past." Michael shook his head in thought and said "I really wish Jason was here. Dad needs him. I almost wish I hadn't told him the truth about Franco..."

"You can't be serious, Michael. That lunatic kidnapped Sam last time. He could have killed my sister." said Kristina. "You had to tell Jason the truth so that he could protect Sam. I mean I am not loving having body guards take me to school every day, but it is better than the alternative."

"Is that Taylor?' asked Michael nodding toward a guy sitting in the waiting room. He decided a change of subject was needed at the moment

Kristina nodded and said "Yeah, we were at the movies when Carly texted me. We came straight over here. I guess I should head over and tell him what is going on." Kristina walked over to have a seat with Taylor.

Rose looked at Michael. "It is going to be a long night...why don't we have a seat."

Michael nodded and said "Yea, that is a good idea." Michael walked with Rose over to the waiting area and had a seat.

"I was just telling Kristina with everything going on Spring Break is probably out of the question." said Taylor since they were all sitting in silence.

"This is your senior year, Krissy. You should go on a great Spring Break. No matter what happens here tonight I can do the heavy lifting with dad if I have to." said Michael.

"It isn't just that. Going on Spring Break without my big brother wouldn't be very much fun." said Kristina dismissively. "I am fine with skipping Spring Break. I've got four years of undergrad for that."

"Well, I am still on parole. I doubt the judge is going to let me take off for Cancun or something like that. But maybe when my parole ends this summer we can all take a big trip to the beach...?" asked Michael.

Kristina laughed and said "You and your wife will want to go to the beach this summer?" Kristina motioned to the ring on Rose's finger. "That is amazing...by the way." said Kristina.

Rose laughed softly. "Thank you. Michael gave it to me tonight at dinner. That is where we were when Carly texted him. Amazing how things go from happy to desperate in a matter of minutes."

Kristina shook her head and said "That is how it is in this family. One moment it is good times and the next you are plunged into some sort of crisis. Run in the other direction while you still have the chance." Kristina was only half serious about that.

Everyone fell into silence for awhile with nothing but the hospital chatter in the background. About an hour later Rose nudged Michael. "Your dad just walked out of the room..." said Rose.

Michael shot out of his chair and headed over to Sonny. Kristina was right on his heels. "Dad what is going on?" asked Michael.

"They aren't sure what antidote to give Brenda. So they had to guess. She has a 50/50 shot..." said Sonny. "I want you guys to go home. It is late. I'll call if there is any change with her."

"Dad, we can't just leave you here alone. You need us." said Kristina. She hadn't always had a close relationship with Sonny but this situation had helped bring the two of them closer together.

"I really appreciate the two of you being here. I have better children than I deserve. But I'd feel better knowing that you two are safe. At home." said Sonny. Mostly, he just didn't want to breakdown in front of his children if the worst happened.

Michael nodded and said "Okay...we'll go...come on, Krissy."

"Goodnight." said Sonny watching them walk away.

Michael walked with Kristina back over to the waiting room. "Guys, we should head out for the night. He just sort of wants to be alone."

Rose stood up and said "Are you sure about leaving him alone?"

Michael nodded and said "Yeah, I am sure. Robin is here...he won't be alone. We can come back tomorrow to check on him." Michael didn't want to leave but he knew arguing with his dad would just stress him out. "Night Krissy. I will see you tomorrow." said Michael hugging Kristina.

Kristina said "What time do you think we should get here tomorrow morning?" Kristina hugged Rose. "Goodnight."

Michael led the way to the elevator. "I think around 8 or 9. I'll call you in the morning and see if you are up. I know you like to sleep in on Saturdays."

Kristina laughed. "You like to sleep in on Saturdays too. 9:00 sounds good to me."

Once they were outside everyone said goodbye and went their separate ways for the night. Michael and Rose climbed into their guarded SUV. Kristina did the same. 


	15. Chapter 15

I know that I haven't posted a chapter since May. So to make up for that I intend to post 16 and 17 over the next couple of days. I ask that you review the story and let me know what you think. I want to thank lilnudger82 for reviewing back in September and reminding me about this story!

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Michael laid in bed next to Rose, who was sleeping peacefully in the quiet of Saturday morning. He had been awake for hours worrying about everything that was going on with his family. Just when it seemed like he was becoming settled in this new life he was making for himself everything seemed to be coming apart at the seams. It was surprising how much could change in a matter of two months. He glanced at the subpoena in his hands and sighed deeply wondering what sort of hell the judge would drag him through when he was on the stand. Michael still had trouble believing that Jax would be so hateful as to subpoena him and Morgan. But then again things change...and people change.

Sonny had gone from being madly in love with his new bride to despising how close she was to Jax. Brenda on the other hand had gone from being madly in love with Sonny to despising how close he was to Carly. To make matters worse Brenda was deathly afraid of the danger Sonny's world would bring into her son's life. And she wasn't making any friends with Kristina and Molly. The girls felt as if Brenda was trying to shut them out of Sonny's life. At the end of the day everyone had a valid point but no one was willing to listen to anyone's opinion. Everyone thought that they were right.

The Carly and Jax custody situation was unraveling faster than anyone had expected. Jax was suing Carly for full custody of Josslyn. The custody hearing was set for next week and everyone was concerned that Carly was going to lose Josslyn. Sonny had made it very clear that he would do everything in his power to ensure that wouldn't happen. In the meantime they were adhering to the original custody agreement, which drove Jax crazy.

Carly was having a hard time dealing with Brenda being married to Sonny. Carly often went to Sonny's house and Sonny was often at Carly's house working out a strategy to take Jax down before he was awarded full custody of Josslyn. Unfortunately, Carly and Brenda got into arguments every time they saw one another. Michael was worried about how tonight would go with the two women having to be in the same room. Tonight was the night of Michael and Rose's engagement party. Sonny and Carly were hosting the bash at the Metro Court.

Jason was still searching for Franco but it was as if the insane artist had dropped off the face of the Earth again. But no one was taking any chances with their safety. Jason was especially protective of Sam now that she was pregnant with his baby. Jason also had to focus his attention on trying to keep Anthony Zacchara from expanding any further into Sonny's territory from behind bars. Anthony had successfully split the Zacchara family into two halves. The half that was relatively sane and ran by John Zacchara and the half that was filled with the psychopaths loyal to Anthony Zacchara. There was a war brewing there and no one was sure how it would end.

Michael and Rose had finished their couples' counseling through the church and they were now seeing a marriage and family therapist that Carly was paying for. Beyond that they were focusing on school finishing the last month of school. They had both been accepted to every college that they applied to. Michael was still shocked that he got accepted to the college that had been his top choice all along. He was happy that he'd be able to go to college in the city with Rose.

Michael was spending most of his time at Rose's place and every so often he would stay the night at Dante's loft. The more time he spent with Rose the more he knew that marrying her was the right choice. He was also getting closer with her family since he was at her house so much. But there were still things that nagged at him. Like the fact that Rose was missing out on an opportunity to go somewhere for Spring Break because he was on probation and couldn't go anywhere.

Rose woke up with a yawn. She stretched with a groan and opened her eyes. She chuckled softly seeing Michael looking at her. "How long have you been awake?" asked Rose moving closer to him. "Good morning by the way," said Rose kissing him softly.

"Good morning," said Michael returning her kiss. He lightly brushed her hair away from her face. "I've been awake for about an hour. I've got a lot on my mind I guess. Everything is changing so fast...are you nervous?"

"I am not nervous at all. We are going to move to the city and live in a horribly overpriced penthouse that our parents buy for us. With a nanny and maybe a maid," said Rose chuckling. "I am finally getting everything that I want in life. Who knew that coming to Port Charles, New York would be the very best thing that has ever happened to me?"

Michael smiled and said, "You are the very best thing that has ever happened to me too. I wake up and I look at you and I know that no matter what happens during the day that I'll be okay. And it is because I have you to come home to at night. We get to spend time with Nicolas and Roman and shut the rest of the world out. You guys keep me sane."

"You keep me sane too, Michael. My life has been one big disaster lately and you have been there to help me pick up the pieces. You're my guy and you always will be," said Rose. She pecked Michael on the cheek.

He smiled and asked, "Are you ready for our party tonight?"

Rose shook her head and lamented tiredly, "My mother has been out of rehab for all of a week. I don't know that she is ready to attend a party with alcohol but she is determined to be there and when she sets her mind to something...well. So I was thinking if we are going to get married in July we need to hire a wedding planner. Which I personally think would take the pressure off of me because we can tell her our vision and then just let the wedding planner take care of everything. Going over the guest list last night with your parents and my parents was painful, Michael. There is no way that we can do this by ourselves or even with help from our parents. The guest list is hovering over 160 people already."

"I think hiring a wedding planner is a great idea, Rose. Honestly, last night I got a headache listening to what people we had to invite. People I don't even know but would somehow be offended if they weren't invited. It was twice as bad as that graduation invitation fiasco. Any ideas on wedding planners?"

"Well, my mom offered to hire someone for us if we were interested. I will call her today and let her know that we are definitely interested. I'll see who she has in mind when I talk to her. This is so much to take on so close to graduation," said Rose.

"Rosie, we don't have to get married in July. We can wait until next year. I don't want this to be so stressful that we can't even enjoy the wedding," said Michael looking at her seriously.

"No, we are getting married. When we start college in the fall we are going to be married and happy. It'll be a whole new journey for us. We will just have to make the planning fit into our schedule which means a lot of decisions will have to be made on the weekends," said Rose laughing softly. "But we can get it done. I was thinking we'd let Roman and Nicolas be ring bearers at the wedding. They will look so adorable in little tuxedos."

Michael chuckled and said, "The poor little guys. Why do we have to shove them into penguin suits? They are going to hate it. Roman doesn't even like wearing his coat. Would you mind if my little sister, Josslyn, is the flower girl?"

"I would not mind at all. In fact I think it is a great idea. Josslyn will be so adorable as the flower girl. Since we have settled on the fact that we need a wedding planner I will get on that today. What are you doing today?" asked Rose.

"I need to go and see Jason. He sent a really cryptic text message yesterday. That is about it other than going to hang out with Morgan for a little while. Why?" asked Michael.

"I was just wondering if you were going to get ready over here tonight or were we just going to meet up at Metro Court. Did you talk to Diane about the specific date that your parole ends?" asked Rose curiously.

"No, I will come back here to get ready with you and then we will head out together. Yeah, she talked to somebody and found out that my parole is over July 1st. Which is really good. I guess good behavior counts for something. We need to get together with our parents and figure out when they want to do this trip to the city to look for our place. Diane told me I need to get her the date and details in advance so that she can request permission," said Michael.

Rose nodded. She sat up in the bed and opened a drawer in her nightstand pulling out a notepad and pen. She started jotting a few things down.

Michael laughed and asked, "What are you doing?" He looked over at the pad to see what she was writing.

"I have a lot of things that I need to do today before the party. I need to write everything down so that I don't forget anything," said Rose.

"You are so cute. Do you know that?" asked Michael lightly kissing her neck. "So very cute." murmured Michael against her neck. "You know my counseling is going good," said Michael sliding his arm around her.

"That is great, hon. I know that you didn't really want to do the counseling thing but you haven't been as angry or jumpy. So maybe it is working," said Rose with a smile.

"I think it is a long process though. I'll be in counseling for a long time I think. When we move I will need to get my psychiatrist to refer me to someone in the city," said Michael.

Rose jotted that down on her list as well. "I will just make this an overall to-do list. I have a feeling it will start to grow as the weeks go on. Do you have your tux for tonight?"

Michael said, "I am going to go pick it up from my mom's house this afternoon. She picked it up from the store yesterday. We have to be at Metro Court at 7:00 exactly...so we should leave here about 6:30 so that we are there on time and my mother isn't freaking out thinking we are waiting til the last minute."

"Do you think that Brenda and your mother will behave long enough for us to get through the night?" asked Rose quirking an eyebrow at him and then chuckling. "Carly and Brenda had been locking horns often. I stopped by the Metro Court yesterday afternoon to talk to Carly about the engagement party and they were going at it in the office. I think they were fighting about your dad."

"I honestly don't really know. I know that my dad is going to do his best to keep Brenda away from Mom tonight, but nothing is guaranteed. Although, Jason will be there to act as a buffer as well so it might not be too bad. Dad and Mom have been spending a lot of time together. More than they should really. I've seen this happen before. I don't know why they marry other people. They have a weird way of coming back to one another. Do you think your parents are going to be able to make it through the night without screaming at one another?" asked Michael with a smirk. It was nice being with someone whose family was as screwed up as his was.

"I don't know. To be honest...I am really worried about my parents having to spend the entire night together," said Rose laughing. "Mom has been tight lipped around Dad because she is trying not to get me upset but I don't know how long that will last. And with my grandparents being in town for the party...well it will be fun," said Rose chuckling. She put away the pen and pad and laid back in the bed with Michael.

"Do you think your grandparents are going to like me?" Michael asked with a look on his face. He had been concerned with that for the last couple of weeks once they knew for sure that Miguel and Carmen Marino would be attending their engagement party. But Michael wasn't under the gun for just that reason. Rose's other two older brothers, Cristian and Romeo, were flying in from Miami with their respective wives to attend the party as well.

"I think that my grandparents love me with all of their hearts and that beyond anything they just want me to be happy. And you, Michael Corinthos III, make me happy. Besides, you are going to college in the fall and you are interning at a really great corporate company that you actually stand to inherit one day if you so choose. You are quite the catch Michael. Don't put yourself down," Rose admonished gently. She hated to see Michael doubting his worth.

"What? I am not putting myself down. I am just asking if you think they will like me. I have two sisters and a little cousin that I love dearly. I know that no guy they bring home is ever going to be good enough in my opinion. Krissy is giving me fits already. She thinks that she is being clever but I know that she is seeing Ethan Lovett," said Michael.

"No, you are asking if I think my grandparents have a problem with the fact that you killed someone and went to prison. Like you are somehow not good enough to be with me. Don't sell yourself short. I am lucky that I found you. My grandparents will love you and even if they don't that is just too bad for them. They can't live my life for me anymore than you parents can live your life for you. Besides, you know who my grandfather is. He is going to think you are a stand up guy because you killed Claudia to save your mother and your little sister."

Michael sighed a little and said, "I guess I am just feeling a little under the gun. I mean sure your parents know me and they like me. And your brother, Mateo, and his wife, Raina, seem to like me. But tonight I will be under a whole other type of scrutiny, babe. I will literally be under the microscope. Is this guy good enough to be part of our family? I mean your uncle, Constantino, is coming to the party and I know how much you respect his opinion. What if he gives me the thumbs down? I am scared of losing you."

"Michael, I am not going anywhere unless you break up with me. No one is going to change my mind about what I want. I want you. I want the life that we are planning together. Life is short...it is fleeting I don't want to waste time worrying about if my family approves of my decisions. They'll love me anyway and I promise that they are going to love you as much as I do," said Rose laying her head on his chest. "And if they don't...then that is their loss...not ours."

Michael kissed the top of her hand and rested his hand on her back. "You know...I think law is the right career for you. You never stop arguing until I am out of excuses."

She laughed softly. "Well, it is a gift. I am the only girl in the family. I am not used to hearing no for an answer."

"I will keep that in mind," said Michael.

"So, you know that Kristina is seeing Ethan? She was so sure she had hid that better from you."

Michael chuckled and said, "Krissy isn't good at hiding anything from me. She isn't dating Taylor anymore they are just friends. But she has been keeping him around so that Alexis and my dad don't figure out what she is up to. I can't believe that you knew and didn't tell me." He tickled her side.

Rose laughed and lightly swatted his hand away. "Kristina swore me to secrecy until she had the right moment to tell you. She intends to tell you soon. I've got to stay on my first sister-in-law's good side."

He shook her head. "The girl likes playing with fire…that is for sure."

"What girl doesn't? Do you want to catch another hour of sleep before Roman and Nicolas wake up?" Rose glanced over at the clock seeing that it was almost 7:00. She chuckled slightly.

"Actually, I think I am going to go for a run. I didn't get to work out at all yesterday. I think that I will hit the gym afterward and workout with Jason if he isn't busy. I'll be back in a couple of hours. You get some sleep," said Michael. He got out of bed kissing her softly.

Rose chuckled and said, "Have a good time on your run and be safe." She watched him searching for his workout clothes and then closed her eyes tiredly as he slipped into the bathroom to change clothes. She heard the bathroom door open after he finished brushing his teeth. "Love you..."

"Love you too, babe," said Michael sitting down on the bed to put on his running shoes. He grabbed his gym bag and cell phone. "If you need me just call me," said Michael. He walked over to Nicolas and Roman's room to check on them. He smiled seeing that they were still snoozing. Michael headed out calling the head guard for their security detail to let him know he was going on a run. Michael tossed his gym bag in the black SUV and then took off for his jog. He jogged and ran changing up every once in awhile. When he had finally ran two miles he was at the park. He got a drink of water and had a seat on the bench to catch his breath.

Johnny spotted Michael and walked over. "Hi, Michael."

Michael looked up hearing Johnny's voice. "Hey, Johnny. I didn't know that you ran."

The guards started to approach them, but Michael waved them off.

Johnny laughed and said, "I don't. I was walking a special friend of mine to the hospital to start her morning shift. I was headed on my way back to my penthouse when I saw you sitting here. So the big party is tonight, huh?"

Michael nodded and said, "Ah...Dr. Niles." He saw the surprised look on his face and said, "Oh, Krissy told me that you and Dr. Niles were hanging out a lot. You know Krissy if she sees something interesting she can't keep it in. Yeah, the party is tonight at the Metro Court. I'd invite you but I don't think that would go over well with Dad or Jason."

Johnny laughed and said, "No, I don't think that would go over well with Sonny or Jason. But thanks for thinking about me. So how are things going?" Johnny had a seat on the bench with Michael.

"Good, I am really happy about marrying Rose. And I am even happier that that our parents are on board with this. I thought we were going to have to fight them tooth and nail," said Michael.

"Sound like there is a but in there somewhere," said Johnny chuckling. He had gotten to know the young man well over the last couple of months.

"I am happy with Rose and I want to get married. I just feel like my parents are going along with this because they think it will distract me from wanting to go into the mob. Even with getting engaged, about to graduate from high school, and interning at ELQ they still look at me as being weak like I can't handle myself even though I've showed them that I can. I know what I want and none of that is going to change what I want," said Michael. "I am not like most kids. I knew what I wanted to be from the time I was like ten years old. I wanted to be like my dad. I wanted to take over for him one day. He was ready to hand the family over to Dante, but for me...nothing. A few months ago he said he'd think about it but that was just his way of getting me off of his back. Do you know how that feels?" asked Michael.

Johnny shook his head. "Can't say that I do. My father was a lunatic and all he wanted for me was to be his heir and take over for him one day. I tried to be different but at the end of the day this is all that I am really good at. I am okay with that now." Johnny thought about his next words carefully. "I know that Sonny and Jason aren't willing to give you a chance. I want you to know that if you want a job in my organization I can make that happen for you. I'll look out or you."

Michael asked, "Why would you want to do that for me? Not that I'm not grateful for the job offer..." Michael was curious about Johnny's motives for being so generous. He had learned to be wary of every olive branch after his encounter with Carter in prison.

Johnny chuckled. "You are smart to be cautious. But I don't have an ulterior motive. I think you are a good kid that got a raw deal. You want to strike out on your own and do your own thing. Your father isn't going to give you that opportunity. And the family you are marrying into won't either because they want to keep good relations with your father. Corinthos and Marino go back a ways. And even though they didn't orchestrate this union you can be sure that this strengthens their ties and that deals will be worked out between them. So you facilitate this new bond by bringing these two families together, but you don't get to be part of the business. I am offering you a low level position in my organization. I'll teach you everything I know and I will look out for you like you were my own brother, Michael. When you got shot I promised myself that if you survived that I'd be damn sure to be a stand up guy for you. And I made that same promise after you went to prison for killing Claudia. Which I didn't want and she wouldn't have wanted that either. You stopped my sister from doing something she would have always regretted. Hurting a child would have devastated her. She never forgave herself for setting up the hit that got you shot."

Michael was inclined to believe Johnny and he wanted to accept. "I would, but I'll be going to Manhattan in the fall for college with Rose. So I won't be around here but thank you, Johnny. It is nice to know that someone believes that I have some potential."

Johnny said, "Well, you don't go to college until what August? September? You've got months while you are here to learn the ropes from me. See if this is even what you really want to do. Climbing up the ladder is a long and slow process. You may decide that it isn't for you. However, if you do like it and you are good at it...we can make some arrangements for while you are in college. I have a crew that runs a sports book operation in the city. They take bets and collect money. It is easy work but it will get your feet wet. We can start you off doing the same thing here in Port Charles."

Michael had to admit that he liked the prospect of giving it a try. "I need to give it some thought. But I can't say that I am not interested in your offer. If this is some sort of end run to use me against my dad..."

Johnny put up his hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't do that to you. Besides, getting shot and nearly killed has cooled my normally hot blood for the time being. All I want to do is carve out my little piece and live my life. However, having you working for me would offer some protection against Sonny starting a war with me."

Michael nodded. He couldn't really disagree with that line of thinking. Sonny was notorious for acting first and thinking later. If Michael was working for Johnny that would force Sonny to think before he acted. But the idea of going against his family was giving Michael some pause. He was loyal to his father and couldn't imagine ever working against him.

"Think your fiancé is going to be okay with this move? I don't want to cause discord in your marriage before it even gets started."

Michael laughed. "More than okay. She wants me to do what I want. Rose knows that I want into the business and she supports that. She knows as much about the business as I do. I joke with her that if she wasn't a girl she'd probably be trying to maneuver into the business too. I think she resents it a little bit but that is the and she was dealt."

Johnny laughed and said, "Sounds like Claudia. She knew just as much as I did… more really. She always wanted that power for herself. That respect I mean that is what it is all about at the end of the day. Power, respect, and money."

"I definitely want the respect. Nobody really respects me. They all still look at me as a little kid and I can't figure out how to get from under that. I don't know how many times I have to prove to them that I can handle myself." Michael shook his head and glanced at his watch. "I've got to head back home. I've got a busy day ahead of me. Thanks for the job offer Johnny," said Michael standing up.

Johnny stood up and shook Michael's hand. "Just think about it and let me know when you have an answer."

Michael nodded and said, "I will." Michael walked over to the SUV and climbed in so that they could drive him to Jason's Penthouse. Michael took out his cell phone and called Jason.

Jason answered his phone. "Hi, Michael. I was just getting ready to call you."

Michael said, "I was calling to let you know that I was on my way over to your place. I was hoping that you had time to work out together."

Jason said, "Sure I will meet you downstairs at the gym. I'll see you when you get here." Jason hung up.

Michael arrived at Harbor View Towers not long after the call ended and headed into the gym and smiled seeing Jason. He walked over and said, "Hey, Jason. You and Sam are coming to the party tonight, right?"

Jason smiled. "Of course we will be there. Just don't expect me to dance or anything like that. But I wouldn't miss it for the world." Jason's smile faded a little. "I actually need to talk to you about something important. I talked to Sonny and Carly before asking you so this isn't a secret from your parents or anything."

Michael said, "Wow...this sounds serious. What's going on?" Michael had a seat on a bench and looked at Jason's pensive expression.

"Lucky, stopped by to see me a couple of days ago. Jake is sick and has been for the last couple of weeks. He has something called Wilson's disease. He's young, they've caught it early, and with medication and a change in his diet he should be okay. But it is hereditary. As A.J.'s son you need to be tested for it. This is a Quartermaine defect. I talked to Grandfather and he confirmed that his father suffered from Wilson's disease," said Jason.

Michael said, "But Jake is going to be okay right? Wilson's disease? What is that?" Michael's mind was running a mile a minute wondering if Jake would be okay and what this meant for him.

"Wilson's disease causes a person's body retain too much copper. Too much copper can poison the body. If it isn't caught early there could be all sorts of problems including liver failure. So you really need to get checked out, " said Jason.

Michael was a little stunned but he nodded. "Of course. I'll call the hospital and set up an appointment. Do you have Wilson's disease?" asked Michael curiously.

"I was tested and I should get the results back today or tomorrow. They are looking to see if I carry the gene for it as well. It will be important information since Sam is pregnant."

Michael said, "I guess now I can't say that I've never got anything from the Quartermaine side of the family."

"You know that there is nothing wrong with being a Quartermaine...right?" asked Jason. He didn't know how to start this particular conversation with his nephew. Jason wanted to know where Michael's head was at for the future.

"Other than the fact that they hate the people who raised me?" Michael asked as he began doing arm curls with the free weights.

Jason sighed a little and said, "Michael, a lot of things happened back then that probably should have been handled better. The Quartermaines have their faults but they do love you and they always have. They just have a high handed way of showing it sometimes."

"That is where they have things confused. They can't love me and hate the people that raised me. I am my own man but at the end of the day I am the man that my parents and you raised. They don't love me for me...they love me for who I could be or who they'd like for me to be, which is a Quartermaine heir. I'm not. I'm a Corinthos and this isn't going to change. said Michael.

"I thought..."

Michael cut off Jason and said, "You thought that me interning at ELQ was somehow going to change my life and make me want to be something that I am not? I took the internship to make Edward happy and because I knew that it would look good to my parole officer. It was a means to an end. I don't have anything against the Quartermaines I know how much they care about me. And I hate seeing them wanting me to be something that I'm not. They want me to be the Quartermaine baby they lost years ago but I'm not him, Jason. I thought you of all people would understand that?"

Jason nodded and said, "I do understand that. I just want you to understand that there is more to this world than the life that Sonny and I lead. Maybe while you are away at college you will see that for yourself. Maybe being here in Port Charles surrounded by our life you just can't see what else is out there."

Michael stared at Jason and just offered a smile. "Yeah, you might just be right about that, Jason. You know they say New York City is where people go to make their dreams come true. So are we going to work out or what? I've been slacking off these last couple of days."

Jason smiled. "Yeah, let's get started."

* * *

Michael walked into the guest house still mulling over the offer Johnny had made him that morning. "Rose? Are you here?" asked Michael thinking that the little house that he now called home seemed to be eerily silent. He walked into the bedroom dropping off his gym bag and spotted Rose sitting on the bed they shared crying. "What's wrong, Rosie?" asked Michael in a concerned voice. He walked over to the bed and kneeled down in front of her. Michael tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him.

Rose sighed and said, "My mother had a major meltdown when she found out that my dad was bringing a date to our engagement party tonight. She railed against him and the family. She was hurt. I get that! My dad is being callous and hurtful. But I am scared that tonight they are going to rip into each other and turn a good night...our night into a battle royale."

Michael stood up and sat next to her on the bed. "It is not going to come to that and even if it does we have one another. You are my safe harbor in the storm and I am yours. When our families get crazy we turn to each other, right?"

Rose sighed.

"Right?" repeated Michael.

"Right," said Rose softly. "Are you going to be here for awhile? I called your mom and asked her if she could squeeze a spa appointment onto the books for Mom and me. I explained everything that was going on and she was gracious enough to say yes. I was hoping you could hang out here with the boys."

"Well, my mom knows a thing or two about less than amicable divorces. I am glad that she was willing to help you out." Michael looked at his watch and said, "Actually I have a couple of errands to run but I can take Nic and Roman with me." He decided not to tell Rose about going to see Dr. Drake or the Johnny situation. She had enough on her plate right now while she tried to take care of her mother.

"No, that is okay I can just find one of the nannies. Everyone in the main house is just so busy preparing the house for my grandparents' arrival. Harriet is with the boys right now but she will need to go back up to the main house soon," said Rose.

"Hey, I am capable of running errands and looking after the boys. I've got this under control. You go spend time with your mom. She needs you right now. And I will spend the afternoon with my boys," said Michael. He kissed her softly. "And now I need to get a shower before I run those errands. Running and working out has made me ripe." Michael stood up and headed to the bathroom.

Rose smiled softly and said, "You called them...your boys..."

Michael poked his head out of the bathroom. "What did you say?"

Rose turned around so that she was looking in his direction. "You called them...your boys."

Michael walked out of the bathroom holding his shirt in his hand. "Is that a problem? I mean I just thought...since the two of us are getting married that..."

Rose stood up and walked over to him. "It isn't wrong. It is perfect, Michael. You don't know how much that means to me. To know that you feel that way about them. That they aren't just my sons...but..."

"They are our sons, Rose. I knew when I proposed to you that you guys were a packaged deal. And I more than anyone know that love and being a father has nothing to do with DNA. My dad loves me more than anything. I mean parents aren't supposed to have a favorite but I am my father's favorite. And we don't share DNA, but he raised me. And I have a bond with him that I don't have with anyone else on this planet. And I just hope that I can be as a good a father to Roman and Nicolas as my dad has been to me," said Michael.

Rose smiled brightly listening to Michael talk. She took a deep breath and said, "After we get married...I'd like to change their last names to Corinthos. I want us to be one family, Michael."

A shocked look passed over Michael's face. "You want the boys to have my last name?" A grin started to form. "You mean that?"

"Yeah, I do. I want them to always know that we are a family. All of us. I want them to know that you are the only father they have ever had or will ever have. Nicolas Corinthos and Roman Corinthos. I can't think of anything better." Rose smiled looking into Michael's eyes.

Michael grinned lifting Rose off of her feet. "Rosie, I will be a good father to our sons. I know I've got my problems, but I will always be good to all three of you."

Rose smiled softly. "I believe that with all of my heart Michael. With all of my soul." She giggled softly and said, "Now set me down or I am going to be late to the spa."

Michael laughed and set her down. "I love you."

"I love you too, Michael," said Rose. She smiled at him before grabbing her purse off of the dresser. "I'll see you later." Rose smiled to herself and walked out.

Michael took a quick shower and then dressed in jeans and white and green stripped polo. He walked down the hall to Nicolas and Roman's room and smiled watching them playing together. "Uh, Harriet, Rose told me that you need to take off and go back to the main house. If you could just get a bag ready for the boys I can take them off of your hands."

She smiled and handed him a large black bag. "Ms. Marino stopped by to tell me to pack a bag before she left. It is all ready for you, Mr. Corinthos. As are Roman and Nicolas."

Michael smiled and said, "Well, thank you for doing all of the hard work. Have a good afternoon."

"The same to you, Mr. Corinthos." She waved at the boys before leaving.

Michael smiled and said, "Looks like it is just us three guys this afternoon. First, we've got to go to the hospital so that I can have my blood drawn. Sounds like fun huh, guys?" Michael grabbed their stroller and got the boys fastened in safely. He picked up their bag and left the guesthouse with them. The guards helped him load the boys into the car and they took off for General Hospital.

Monica Quartermaine stood at the desk talking to a nurse when she spotted Michael walking off of the elevator pushing the boys in their stroller. "Excuse me." Monica walked around the desk and over to Michael. "Is everything okay?" asked Monica.

Michael looked up seeing Monica and said, "Hi. Sure everything is fine. I am just here to give a blood sample for some tests. Jason is worried about me having Wilson's Disease."

Monica said, "Oh...right. Well, it is good that you are getting tested promptly. If you have the disease copper could be collecting in your body right now. Do you have an appointment with a physician? If not I could take the samples for you." Monica was of course a cardiologist but she'd take any opportunity to spend time with her grandson.

"That is nice of you to offer. I actually called ahead and made an appointment with Dr. Drake. He's been my doctor since I was shot. I guess when anything is wrong I automatically go to him. He has been nice enough not to point out that he is a world-class neurosurgeon and shouldn't be dealing with minor cases like this. He should be waiting for me," said Michael.

"I am glad to hear that Dr. Drake has been so helpful. I just wanted to thank for inviting Edward, Tracy, and me to your engagement party tonight. It means so much to me that you..." Monica stopped speaking getting emotional. "I know that I've never been your grandmother in action only in name. But maybe now that you are older we can have some sort of relationship. So many things went wrong when you were a baby. Everyone was fighting pulling back and forth. I think somehow what was important got lost in the struggle," said Monica.

"Well, I figured it was only right especially with me working at ELQ now. And Tracy is married to Luke so of course she would be invited. My Dad loves Luke." Michael listened to Monica and saw the pain evident on her face. "As long as you understand that I love my parents. And I don't wish for a different life. I am happy with the one I have. I am willing to try to get to know you. You've always been good to me and you've never tried to push me one way or the other. But putting down my parents...that can't happen," said Michael.

"And it won't happen. I may not like everything that happened but I could never doubt how much Sonny and Carly love you and how much you love them. I just want to be a part of your life. I've missed so much and I've lost so much. Dawn, A.J., Alan, Lila, and Emily. My family has been decimated. You and Jason are all I have left and..." Monica shook her head feeling tears well up in her eyes.

Michael said, "I am sorry that you have lost so much. I can't imagine how painful it would be to lose the people you love most in the world. Maybe Rose and I can come over for dinner or something...sometime."

"I'd like that a lot, Michael," said Monica with a smile. She chuckled softly and said, "So who are these little guys?"

"Oh this is Nicolas and that is Roman. Their mom is looking after her mom so I have them with me this afternoon," said Michael.

Monica smiled and said, "They are beautiful little boys."

"Thanks. I better run. Dr. Drake is probably waiting on me."

Monica nodded. "You are probably right. It was good seeing you, Michael. And I will see you tonight."

Michael smiled. "It was nice seeing you too." Michael walked toward the nurses' station only to be flagged over by Patrick Drake. Michael walked over to him. "Thanks for seeing me this afternoon, Dr. Drake. Jason was just really concerned about me coming in and getting these tests done."

"I am glad to be able to help. And I am glad that you called me. Come on into the exam room," said Patrick. He led the way and had a seat on a stool in the room. Patrick put on a pair of rubber gloves and got the kit ready for taking Michael's blood.

Michael took off his coat and had a seat on the exam table.

"So have you been having any trouble with your head lately?" asked Patrick as he collected the blood samples and a cheek swab.

"No, my head has been fine. I haven't been having any problems. None related to my head anyway," said Michael with a smile. He put on his coat now that Patrick was done drawing his blood.

Patrick smiled and said, "I am glad to hear that, Michal. If it changes at any point please give me a call to set up an appointment. Oh, and Robin and I will see you tonight."

Michael stood up and said, "I will do that. I'll see you guys tonight. Thanks again, Dr. Drake."

Michael left the hospital with the boys and had the security team drive him over to Sonny's house. As he walked into the house he recognized his mother's screaming voice in the distance. Michael groaned involuntarily and walked into the living room to see Carly and Brenda in a screaming match. "Hey!" bellowed Michael slamming his fist down on the edge of Sonny's desk.

The two women were stunned into silence momentarily. "Michael, I.." started Carly.

"Mom. No. I don't know what is going and I don't really care. All I know is that this..." Michael motioned between the two women. "Cannot! Will not! Happen tonight at the party."

Sonny walked into the room Dante at his side. His smile fell away when he felt the tension in the room. He looked between everyone. "What is going on?"

Brenda walked over to stand next to Sonny and started, "Michael walked in and..."

Michael cut Brenda off and said, "Dad, the two of them fighting tonight at the party can't happen. Rose and I don't need it and we don't want it. Whatever is going on needs to be squashed until the party is over. Or someone isn't going to be welcome. And since mom is mother...right or wrong she gets to be there."

Sonny said, "Okay, everyone needs to calm down. Carly and Brenda are not going to argue or fight at the engagement party. Brenda knows how much it means to me and your mother knows how much it means to you." Although he was speaking to Michael he was looking between Brenda and Carly for some sort of understanding.

"Rose is worried that her own parents are going to have a blow out at the party. I know our family is used to being the one to put on the dramatic scenes but for once we can let someone else have the spotlight. Mom, I love you and Brenda I like you but please..."

Carly had to bite her tongue but nodded and said, "I will be on my best behavior tonight, Michael. I will do my best to steer clear of Brenda and I am sure that she can agree to do the same with me. I would never do anything to ruin such an important night for you."

Brenda glanced at Sonny and heaved a sigh. She nodded as well. "I wouldn't want to ruin this night for you and Rose. And I am not used to having public scenes for everyone to watch so I will stay away from your mother the entire night. You have my word."

Carly opened her mouth to say something snarky but closed her mouth. "See, baby. We are both in agreement. Nothing from this side of the aisle is going to do anything to ruin your party. I promise and you know I don't break my promises to you." She walked over and opened her arms to Michael. "Hug?"

Michael smiled slightly. "What am I going to do with you, Mom?" asked Michael hugging her.

Carly smiled at him. "Love me. So is there something wrong?"

"No...why?" asked Michael confused by the question.

"Well, you showed up here. I was just wondering if something was going on?" asked Carly.

"Oh, no there is nothing wrong. I just stopped by to have a talk with Dad. Which...I guess I will just have to have with him later. What are you doing here?" asked Michael quirking an eyebrow at his mother.

"How ironic? I stopped in to have a talk with Sonny too. I can just talk to Sonny later on," said Carly. She picked up her clutch purse and kissed Michael's cheek. "I have your tuxedo out in the car I am going to give it to one of the guards so you don't have to come all the way to my house to pick it up."

"Thanks, Mom."

Carly smiled at Brenda. "I'll talk to you later, Sonny." She walked out of the room.

Michael shook his head seeing the way Carly tried to goad Brenda on her way out. "We can talk later, Dad. I will give you two some privacy."

"No need," muttered Brenda storming up the stairs.

Sonny watched Brenda storm up the stairs and groaned slightly. "These women are going to kill me, Son. I am glad that you stopped by. Dante has some good news to share."

Michael said, "Well, you always knew Mom would have a hand in your death either by stress or just out and out murder." He lifted the boys out of the stroller and set them on the floor with some of their toys to play.

Dante said, "I can't stay long. I need to get back over to the station to finish some work. But I wanted to let you know that I heard from the judge today."

"Yeah?" asked Michael.

"Your sentence is done. I can take off your anklet," said Dante.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Michael with a grin.

"Not at all. Congratulations, little brother," said Dante walking over and hugging Michael.

Michael returned the hug. "Wow! This is great, Dante. Thank you for everything."

"It is the very least that I could do...under the circumstances." Dante kneeled down and unlocked the anklet. "You are a free man, Michael. Use your freedom well."

"I will."

Dante said, "I'd better go. I have a lot of work to get done in the next couple of hours. I'll see you later tonight." He nodded at Sonny and then left.

Sonny said, "Have a seat, Michael. What is going on?"

"I need to have a talk with you about my future."

Sonny poured a glass of scotch and had a seat across from Michael. "What about your future?" asked Sonny curiously.

"Sometime ago you said that you would give some thought to me working with you. Have you given it anymore thought?" asked Michael sitting back on the couch.

Sonny took a gulp of his scotch. "Are you not enjoying your work at ELQ?" asked Sonny

"Sure, I like it there, it is easy work, and I am learning a lot. But you and I both know that is not what I really want. I told Jason the same thing this morning. I am sure he told you or will tell you later on," Michael said with a knowing look.

"I've given it thought, Michael. I've thought about it around in circles and I just can't see a way where I would be okay with that. I wouldn't be able to keep you safe. You would be vulnerable to prosecution. I just can't put you in that position. Your mother would never forgive me and I wouldn't forgive myself either," said Sonny resolutely.

"So you were just putting me off when you said that you would really think about it," accused Michael in angrily.

"No, Son. I did give it thought. I wracked my brain over it and lost many a night of sleep. I want you to have your heart's desire but not if that desire can get you killed or sent to prison for the rest of your life. This life that I lead...there are only a couple of ways that it ends. Someone kills me or I wind up in jail. There are not many retired Dons living it up in Boca Raton."

Michael shook his head and said, "All the more reason for you to groom me and teach me what you know. That way in another ten years or so you could retire altogether. You could be like Rose's grandfather. He is out of the business and letting his son run things. I know the risks of what I am asking, Dad. I've always known the risks but I want it anyway. I am not asking to start at the top. Start me at the bottom."

Sonny said, "I want you to be something more than what I am, Michael. Look at me...look at my life. I've got 4 children that I disappoint on a regular basis. I have a string of bad relationships in my wake. I am holding on to my current wife by the thinnest of strings. I've sacrificed so much for this life and yet I still didn't sacrifice enough. I loved my kids so much...I loved you so much that I wanted you close to me no matter the consequences or the risks of that. I was too selfish to realize the danger that I was putting you in or even the life I was exposing you to. I made so many mistakes, Michael. I will not make another by saying yes even though I know it would make you happy."

"That is where we are different. You've picked women who didn't really understand the life you lead or foolishly thought they could live separately from it. Rose isn't that way. She understands what it means to live this life and she supports me if that is what I want. Whatever storm I have to weather...I will weather it with Rose by my side. And instead of shutting her out I can be honest with her so I don't push her away. I'm not you, Dad."

Sonny tried to hide his surprise at the fact that Rose was apparently on board with Michael joining the mob. He had assumed since her father was a civilian that she would have preferred that lifestyle. "That is right. You are not me and you have far more opportunities than I ever had. You've got no reason to do this. You are set for life I've made damn well sure of that for all of my children. You are smart and you have good grades. You are going to college to get an education. You are capable of doing so much more than I ever was."

"Dad, my whole life I've known what I wanted to do. I wanted to be like you and when I was really young I didn't really understand what that meant. But then I got older and I knew exactly what that meant and I still wanted to be like you. This is the only life that I know and asking me to go out and be some CEO is asking me to put on a mask and pretend to be someone that I am not."

Sonny looked at Roman and Nicolas playing on the floor together and said, "If you don't want a better life for yourself...you should want a better life for them. What would you do if 16 years from now Nicolas or Roman came to you and said that they wanted to join the family?"

Michael frowned. He knew that he wouldn't want that life for either of the boys. Michael didn't want Morgan involved in this life either. "I would be horrified. But I would realize that there was more than one way for them to achieve their goals. I would know that mines was not the only operation in town."

"What are you saying?" asked Sonny raising an eyebrow.

Michael turned around hearing footsteps on the stairs.

Brenda said, "Sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt."

Michael shook his head. "You aren't interrupting, Brenda. I should get going anyway." He started collecting Roman, Nicolas, and their toys.

Sonny said, "Michael, we need to talk about this."

"Yeah, we do...but later. I've got to get them home. I love you, Dad." Michael packed up the boys and left.

Brenda looked at Sonny and asked, "What was that?"

"My son letting me know that he has options," said Sonny distractedly.

* * *

Rose finished putting on her lipstick and glanced at Michael in the mirror. She frowned slightly seeing his drawn expression. Rose turned around and leaned against the vanity her eyes searching his face curiously. "What is going on, Michael? You've been in a weird space all night. Is it my family? Baby, I promise that they are going to love you and if they don't to hell with them."

Michael chuckled softly at the fire in Rose's eyes as she spoke. He shook his head. "It has nothing to do with your family. I am more concerned about my own family at the moment but we can wait until later to talk about what is going on."

"No way," Rose insisted as she closed the small space in between them. "You are going to be my husband in a very short time, Michael Corinthos, so if you have a problem...then, baby, so do I. What is going on?"

Michael took Rose's hand and walked with her over to the bed. He had a seat pulling Rose down next to him. "I saw Johnny today at the park after my run. He offered me a job, Rose."

Rose's eyes widened slightly. "You want to work for the Zacchara family?"

"No, I don't want to work for them. I'd rather be working for Dad and Uncle Jason...but since that isn't going to happen I would be a fool not to give Johnny's proposition some real thought. I mean this gets me that much closer to where I want to be, Rose," explained Michael.

"The history between your two families is nuclear. They might be at peace now but war could crop up at anytime, Michael. You are putting yourself and your dad in a very awkward and potentially dangerous position."

"I told Johnny that I would never go against my father and that I would only work for him as long as there was peace. Johnny is okay with that. He isn't looking to start a war with my dad. In fact getting me to work with him almost ensures that my father will have a cooler head when dealing with Johnny. I know what my decision would be if I was single...but I am not. You are going to be my wife and this is our life. I couldn't make this sort of decision without your input, baby," Michael spoke in a quiet yet determined voice.

Rose took in a breath and asked, "What would you be doing?"

"Johnny wants me to work a sports book. It is something I can do here and in the city when we move. It is entry level but it gets my foot in the door and I'll learn about the business. And with me getting off of probation today it was like serendipity. I will turn him down if that is what you want me to do, Rose. This is what I have always wanted but it is not worth it if it is going to cause friction between the two of us. You mean the world to me. My dad talked about how the business had cost him so much. I don't want it to cost me you," said Michael as he reflected on the conversation with Sonny.

"Michael, from the very beginning I told you that I believed in your dreams. I support you making whatever move you think is best for you. And if you think that working for John is going to get you to where you want to be...then I support you 100%, baby. You are not going to lose me. I love you." She took his hands into hers and looked into his eyes. "This is the life I want too. I wouldn't know how to live a life without mob influence. And if things were different...it would be the move I would make for myself too."

Michael smiled and pulled Rose closer to him. He planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

Rose pulled away from the kiss breathless and her eyes sparkled looking at Michael. "I think that you should invite Johnny to the party tonight." She reached up and used her thumbs to wipe her lipstick from his lips.

"You think so?" asked Michael.

She nodded. "Your father and uncle are going to find out sooner rather than later. It is better to be on your own terms. It makes an unmistakable statement. I'll call Olivia and tell her to bump my brother Cristian and his wife, Marisol, from our table. I'll have her replace them with Johnny."

Michael gave a crooked smile. "I think you just might be right. I am going to go give him a call."

"And I am going to finish getting ready and then I'll call Olivia," said Rose. She kissed him softly and then stood up and walked into the bathroom.

Michael grabbed his cell phone and called Johnny's cell phone.

Johnny answered after a couple of rings. "Hey, Michael. What's up?"

Michael said, "I gave it a second thought and I was thinking that you should come to the party tonight after all if you aren't busy. You can help celebrate my engagement and my first night as a truly free man. The judge ended my probation today."

Johnny was quiet a moment wondering what Michael had up his sleeve. They had both agreed that morning that it probably wasn't a wise decision for Johnny to attend the party. "Congratulations, Michael. I don't have any plans for the night so I guess that I will see you there..."

"I can't wait," Michael replied coolly.

Rose walked out of the bathroom 15 minutes later dressed for the party. "How do I look?" asked Rose doing a little spin. She was wearing a white strapless Grecian inspired cocktail dress. There was a jeweled band right beneath her bust. Rose had on a pair of open toe silver stilettos that matched the jeweled band on her dress. Her dark brown curly hair spilled over her bare shoulders.

"You look amazing, Rosie. I can't believe I get to marry you," said Michael in awe.

Rose smiled and said, "You look amazing too, Michael. I love this tuxedo on you. Oh, I called Olivia and told her to switch the table around. She was suspicious but agreed."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "We should get ready to go. We wouldn't want to be late to our own party."


	16. Chapter 16

Michael and Rose arrived at the Metro Court only to find out that many of their guests had already arrived. Music played in the background as people milled around the Metro Court that had been decorated for the occasion. Carly had obviously put her best foot forward because it looked like something out of a magazine.

There was security all around the hotel trying to blend into the background but a well trained eye would have easily recognized the tell-tale signs. It wasn't really a surprise that there would be such a heavy security presence at the party. It was a veritable Who's who of crime figures from the Corinthos and Marino families. Not to mention that Franco was still unaccounted for.

The party looked every bit the part of a black tie affair. All of the men were in tuxedos and all of the women were in cocktail dresses or ball gowns. Carly was standing next Sonny wearing a red strapless satin ball gown. There was intricate beading on the bodice of the dress and some crystal on the skirt portion of the dress. Rose's mother, Theresa, was wearing a strapless midnight blue chiffon ballroom gown with pearl appliqué.

Michael kissed Rose's cheek and chuckled. "I suppose we should have gotten here earlier. It looks as if our families have already arrived." He nodded his head to their parents standing together talking in front of the overflowing gift table.

"It looks like there haven't been any fights so far. Everyone is still talking to one another. Perhaps that is a good omen for the rest of the night. Well, at least until Johnny turns up. Apparently, we have some very generous guests. Look at all of those gifts." Rose nodded her head to the gift table behind their parents.

"I can feel my hand cramping already in anticipation of writing thank you notes. I suppose we should go over and greet our parents before they realized that we are here." Michael put a hand on Rose's back and the two of them made their way over to Marco, Theresa, Sonny, and Carly. "Good evening, everyone."

Their parents fell silent as if they had been talking about the young couple that was now in their presence. All of them were drinking champagne with the exception of Theresa Marino. She was nursing a glass of sparkling cider trying to keep true to her commitment of being sober. The air around the group seemed thick as it appeared that Michael and Rose had interrupted a conversation they weren't supposed to be privy to.

"Well, I thought that we had gotten here a little late but by the looks on your faces it appears as if we arrived too early. Anyone care to tell us what is going on?" asked Michael suspiciously.

Sonny clapped Michael on the back and offered a warm smile. "We were just working out the details of who is paying for what. Marco and Theresa have informed us that they will be paying for the wedding. Your mother and I have agreed to pay for the honeymoon. And we are going to share in paying for your home in the city."

Rose said, "Well, we really appreciate everything that you guys are doing for us. You all have been incredibly generous. Carly, everything looks absolutely beautiful. I want to thank you and Sonny for hosting our engagement party."

Carly hugged Rose and smiled at her. "We were glad to do it. I can't say that I was initially supportive of the idea of you and Michael getting married at such a young age. But I cannot deny how happy you two seem to make one another."

"We actually have something we wanted to talk to all of you about. Rose and I have decided that we are going purchase a home for ourselves here in Port Charles. Our families are important to us and we'd like to be able to come home for some weekends without taking over any of your houses. We hired a real estate agent yesterday to get our search started. We have a pretty small timeline to get a lot of things done," said Michael.

Marco quirked a curious eyebrow at the teenagers and asked, "Is there something wrong with the guest house?"

Rose smiled and said, "Of course not, Daddy. We have loved staying there. It is just time that we have a place of our own here in Port Charles. Not to mention that the boys are getting bigger everyday and we could use the extra space."

"And this way we will come home more often because we won't feel like we are imposing on anyone," explained Michael seeing the unsure looks on their parents' faces.

Theresa walked over and put an arm around Rose. "If that is what the two of you want to do then I support that. There is a sort of peace of mind that comes along with having a home of your own. As much as I loved Miguel and Carmen I was thrilled when your father and I bought our first place together. Are you sure that you don't need help buying the house?"

Marco's eyebrows furrowed when Theresa mentioned his parents. By no means had his ex-wife liked his parents. And he had his suspicions about why Theresa was being so supportive. "Rose, did your mother put you up to this stunt?"

"I didn't put them up to anything. I just know how it feels to live under someone else's thumb. They are about to be a young married couple. I am quite sure they don't want to live under your rules," hissed Theresa in reply.

"Don't put your problems on them, Theresa. I have been quite accommodating for them. Haven't I?" asked Marco looking at Michael and Rose.

Theresa started muttering in Spanish. "Do not talk to me like a child, Marco Marino!"

"Then stop acting like one, Theresa. Don't drag our daughter into the hate you have for me. Poisoning her against me will not work."

"Ha! Like I have to poison her against you? She sees you for who you really are, Marco. A hateful and vindictive bastard! I can't believe I ever married you!" Theresa crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at one of the waiters walking by with a tray of champagne flutes.

Marco followed Theresa's gaze and said, "That is right, Theresa. Go ahead and have a drink. That always solves your problems, right?"

"Right, I solve my problems with alcohol and you solve yours with women young enough to be your child. What were you thinking bringing that twenty something twit here with you tonight?" asked Theresa.

"I call it having fun. Which is more than I can say about any part of our relationship, Boozy," said Marco scathingly.

"When did you decide to have fun? Before or after we decided to get a divorce. I find it funny that you are dating the personal assistant that you just had to bring to Port Charles. What exactly was it that she did for you that was so irreplaceable?"

Rose tensed up. She yelled, "Stop it! You two promised that you wouldn't do this tonight."

Michael cleared his throat. "Mr. Marino, I can assure you that no one has put this idea into our minds. We are just looking forward to having a place of our own. Rose and I just want to do this on our own."

Sonny asked, "Are you sure? Because we wouldn't mind helping out with that too."

Michael smiled but shook his head. "The four of you are doing way too much for us already. We are going to tap into our trust funds to pay for a house. We don't want anything extravagant. Just something that will be a nice weekend getaway." He lightly rubbed Rose's back trying to comfort her. Michael could see that she was on the verge of tears.

"We've been thinking about picking up one of the little houses that are for sale out by the lake near Alexis. A couple of those places have been on the market for awhile. The real estate agent thinks we might be able to get a good price for it," said Rose.

Carly said, "I think I speak for everyone when I say that the four of you would not be imposing on any of us if you wanted to come home on the weekends. We'd all be thrilled to see you. I know a trip in from the city on a regular basis wouldn't be the easiest of things."

Michael smiled and said, "Thanks for saying that, Mom. But we just really feel like we need our own space. But we want to be able to visit with you guys often. We want the boys to see their grandparents a lot."

Sonny hugged Michael and said, "Sometimes it kills me to see how much of a man you've become. I keep looking for my little boy to come running toward me."

Michael laughed. "I think that is our cue to take off and greet some other people before my dad gets anymore nostalgic. We will see you guys a little later."

Rose hugged her mother knowing the evening was difficult for her. "Thanks for being here, Mama," whispered Rose quietly as she hugged Theresa.

Theresa smiled softly. "Anything for you, baby girl." She reluctantly let her daughter go.

Rose and Michael walked off together. Once they were out of earshot of their parents she said, "They just lied to our faces. There is no way they were looking so serious talking about something they had already agreed on."

Michael nodded in agreement. "I know. It might be about the conversation I had with my dad earlier. They are probably trying to figure out how to discourage both of us."

She laughed and said, "Well, at least we gave them something new to worry about with this house by the lake business. Your mom's eyes looked like they were going to bug out of her head."

Michael shook his head. "Yeah, I definitely noticed that."

Kristina and Molly ran over seeing Michael and Rose. Kristina hugged Michael. "I am so happy for the two of you."

Michael smiled and hugged his sister. "Thank you, Krissy."

Molly hugged Rose and said, "I can't believe you are going to become part of our family now."

Rose hugged her. "Thank you, Molly and Kristina. I am very happy that you guys are being so welcoming of me."

"Well, I don't think we are making a mistake like we did with Brenda," said Molly.

Rose quirked an eyebrow at the younger girl. "What do you mean?"

"I don't think that she likes us as much as she pretended to in the beginning. It is like she doesn't want to share Uncle Sonny," Molly said with a frown. "You aren't going to be the same way with Michael are you?"

Rose smiled and hugged Molly again. "You know some people have a hard time adjusting to families that are big. I am sure Brenda has just been a little overwhelmed with everything that comes along with being in Sonny's life. She didn't come from a big family and the last time that she was with Sonny he didn't have a family at all. But you don't have to worry about that at all because I love big families and I will love hanging out with you guys. I promise."

Molly said, "Well, I guess that does make some sense."

Michael nodded and said, "And you have to admit...our family can be overwhelming to someone that is new to the mix." He playfully pinched Molly's cheek.

Kristina laughed. "That is for sure. I am part of this family and sometimes I get overwhelmed. You are going to love the gift that Molly and I bought for you. It is awesome."

"Thank you. Maybe you and Molly can over and help us open all of the gifts. Is Taylor here with you?" asked Michael.

"Yes, he is over at the chocolate fountain with Morgan and Xavier. We couldn't pry the three of them away from it. So what did you do? As soon as Jason got here he went right over to Dad," said Kristina.

Michael quirked an eyebrow at Rose as if to say I told you so. "Ah it is nothing, Krissy. You know how they can be. Everything is a fire with them."

Molly laughed and said, "Oh, I get it. You don't want to talk about it in front of me. I am old enough to be in the loop you know. But fine I am going to go stick a strawberry in the chocolate fountain. I expect to help unwrap some of those gifts."

Rose laughed and said, "We will hang out tomorrow if you aren't busy, Molly. You can help us open gifts and make a list of who gave us gifts."

"Cool!" Molly strolled off toward the chocolate fountain.

"Okay so what is going on?" asked Kristina once they had some semblance of privacy.

"I just asked Dad if he'd let me work with him and he turned me down as usual. They are probably just making sure that everyone is on the same page with telling me no. You know they have like a joint panel to deal with me," Michael said with a small smirk.

"I can't believe you'd want to work for Dad. You think he treats you like a kid now...how do you think he'd treat you if you worked for him, Michael? It'd be like wearing training wheels for the rest of your life. It is better that you are going to college and getting away from Port Charles." Kristina didn't like the idea of her brother being in the mob. She had seen the damage it had done to Michael with him just sitting on the sidelines.

"I guess we are all getting out of Port Charles. Dad told me yesterday that you got accepted to Princeton. I am proud of you, Krissy. I know that was where you really wanted to go school. And you won't be that far away from the city. You can come visit us."

Rose nodded, "Yeah, you will only be a little over an hour away from us. You can stay with us and we can hang out in the city together."

Kristina's face lit up. "I will be visiting you guys more than you'd like. I am stuck living in the dorm this semester so I will want a break often!"

"Well, we will make sure we have a guest room set up for you and you have an open invitation to come and stay with us whenever you want, Kristina," said Rose.

She threw her arms round Rose. "Thank you! I am going to go make Taylor dance with me. I see Dante and Lulu are headed this way." Kristina hugged Michael and then walked off.

For the next two hours Michael and Rose made their way around the Metro Court meeting and greeting the people in attendance. Most of the people they knew but there are quite a few that they didn't. Michael and Rose had been detained by Edward and Monica for nearly 20 minutes before they were finally able to break away with the promise that they would join the twosome for dinner next week.

Michael looked at his cell phone and frowned seeing that he didn't have any missed calls or text messages. It was getting later in the evening and he was beginning to think that Johnny wouldn't be attending their little soiree after all. That would definitely throw a monkey wrench into his plans.

Rose observed her fiance with an amused smile. Michael had been checking his cell phone periodically all evening in anticipation of Johnny calling to cancel on him. She reached over and lightly squeezed his hand. "It wouldn't be that big of a surprise if Johnny decided not to show up here tonight. Let's face it...this is not the friendliest of environments for him."

"I am just worried that I might have tipped my hand to my father earlier this evening. I hope that I didn't inadvertently set Johnny up. I basically came out and told Dad that I would get this done with or without him. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that I am going to make a play for the only other game in town. Not to mention the security team was with me when I met with Johnny in the park," said Michael.

Rose frowned slightly. "Do you think they overheard your conversation with Johnny?"

"No, they weren't close enough for that. But how much would you like to bet that they report back to my dad and uncle about anything interesting that I might be up to. I've been thinking about that for the last couple of weeks. I saw how familiar Jason was with a couple of the guys. I think I am going to stop letting security drive me around."

"I hadn't even given that any thought. I mean since they are from my dad's security firm I didn't think we would have to worry about that. But you may have a point. If Johnny doesn't show up here tonight we should stop by his place afterwards to make sure he is still...alive. And if he is you can accept his job offer," said Rose.

"It just lets me know that we need to put some serious space between us and our parents as soon as possible. When you live in someone else's house you have to play by their rules. Hopefully, those people will accept our offer on that house."

Rose thought it over briefly. "Well, there is nothing that says that we can't rent a little place while we are waiting to move to the city. We'll make this happen for you, Michael. Even if we have to get a little...creative."

Michael nodded his head in Miguel & Carmen Marino's direction. He was nervous about talking to a man that Rose held in such high esteem. Not to mention Miguel 'Cesar' Marino was a legend in his own right. But he knew that they couldn't avoid the inevitable. "It looks like your grandparents' table finally cleared out. Why don't we go over and talk to them?"

Rose's eyebrows arched in surprise. She was thinking that she would have to drag Michael over there. Rose smiled and linked arms with Michael. "I think that is a marvelous idea, Michael. They are going to love you."

"Or hate me. But as long as you love me...I will be okay." Michael kissed Rose's cheek and walked with her across the room to the table. "Good evening, Mr. & Mrs. Marino."

Miguel Marino stood up from the table with a smile seeing his only granddaughter. "Good evening, young man. My beautiful little Rose. How I have missed you." He pulled Rose into a hug.

Carmen chuckled softly and walked over to Michael. "Michael, we have heard so many wonderful things about you. It is nice to finally meet you in person. We just had a very nice conversation with your mother and father. I understand that you've decided to attend Columbia with Rose."

"It is so nice to meet you too, Mrs. Marino. Rose talks about you and Mr. Marino all of the time. Yes, I've decided to attend Columbia. It was my top choice all along. It is even better that it was Rose's top choice as well. I hope that the two of you have been enjoying yourselves tonight," said Michael.

"Oh, we have been having a lovely time. I complimented your mother on how beautiful everything is tonight," Carmen said.

Miguel motioned to the table. "Both of you please have a seat. I've been looking forward to talking to this young man all night. I have to admit when Marco first told me that a young man I've never met proposed to my little Rose I was not pleased. You are both very young." Miguel had a seat at the table.

Rose and Michael had a seat across the table from Miguel and Carmen. Rose smiled and said, "I'll admit that it happened fast but you and Abuela were younger than we were when you got married."

Carmen smirked and said, "That is very true. I married your grandfather when I was all of 16 years old. We have had a very long and happy marriage if I don't say so myself. Age does not dictate maturity."

Miguel shot his wife a disapproving look. "In my day you got to know the girl's family before you asked her to marry you. And you certainly asked her father for her hand in marriage. Traditions are there for a reason."

"Oh quite your blustering, Miguel. Our marriage was an arranged one. You and I had no say at all in the matter. I think it is lovely that two young people have found love so early in life," said Carmen.

"Mr. Marino, I feel that I know Rose's parents very well. I also spend a great deal of time with her younger brother Xavier. Mateo and I get along and I admire him a great deal as a businessman and family man. I am sorry I wasn't able to get to know you and Mrs. Marino. But I am sure that you know that I've been on probation and unable to leave the state. Our engagement did happen very quickly. I do believe in family and tradition. But I also believe in standing up for myself and doing what is going to make me happy. I was concerned that Rose's father wouldn't give me his blessing in asking for Rose's hand in marriage. I decided that it was better to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission."

A small smirk appeared on Miguel's face. He liked what that Michael hadn't wilted under the pressure. "Fair enough, with your probation getting down to Miami was impossible. But then that brings me to another point. I've always had very specific dreams for my granddaughter and marrying a young man knee deep in legal troubles was not one of those dreams. Your current situation was born out of noble motives. But what are your plans for the future?"

"Abuelo...please," said Rose.

"It's okay, Rose. The future is a rather uncertain thing. My life is vastly different now than it was three years ago. My plans for the future are vastly different than they were three years ago. However, the one thing that I can say is that the one plan that will not change is me being a good father and husband. That is my number one goal," said Michael confidently.

"That isn't really an answer. What do you want to do with your life?" asked Miguel.

Carmen frowned and said, "Miguel, stop trying to intimidate the young man. I think he is a perfectly wonderful match for our Rose. He is polite and mannerable. And Rose seems absolutely smitten with him. And if he wasn't a good young man there is no way that Marco would be okay with him marrying Rose. That is reason enough for me to like him. So stop being a curmudgeon."

Miguel chuckled and said, "This is what you are going to have to put up with. Rose is a great deal like her grandmother. Are you sure that you still want to marry her?"

"Rose's strength and support is one of the reasons that I fell in love with her."

Rose grinned happily and hugged Michael. "You are the best fiance ever!"

Carmen laughed and said, "You two go and enjoy your party."

"Thank you, Grams," said Rose with a smile.

Miguel said, "We will be in town for a couple of days. We should get together for lunch soon."

"I'd like that, Mr. Marino," said Michael. He smiled at Rose and asked, "Why don't we go dance?"

"I'd love to, Michael." Rose stood up and followed Michael onto the dance floor. She chuckled softly seeing Kristina dancing with Ethan. Rose wondered if Sonny had seen the two of them yet.

Michael and Rose were on the dance floor dancing with all of their siblings for quite some time. He stopped in mid step seeing Johnny Zacchara walk into the Metro Court. He took Rose's hand and gently pulled her off of the dance floor.

Ethan spotted Johnny at nearly the same time and quickly made his way over to him. "Are you out of your mind? What the hell are you doing here?"

Johnny chuckled and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ethan said, "I am a Spencer. All of the Spencers were invited. Why are you here? Sonny is going to lose his mind seeing you here."

Johnny clapped him on the back. "You worry too much, Edna. I am an invited guest." He made his way over to Michael and Rose. "Quite the shindig you to have going on here." Johnny hugged Michael and then shook his hand. He gave Rose a hug as well.

Michael smiled after the handshake. "I am glad that you were able to make it, Johnny. I was starting to wonder if you were going to come at all. I know that the invitation came a little late."

"Sorry about that. I like to be fashionably late." The truth was Johnny had spent nearly an hour wondering if he was out of his mind walking into the lion's den. But he had decided that there was no sense in trying to hide behind the curtain. If Michael was going to work for him the news would be out sooner rather than later.

"Well, I am glad that you are here. There is an open bar that neither of us can enjoy but please help yourself," Michael joked with a friendly smile.

"I will definitely do that. Oh, before I forget." He reached into his tuxedo jacket and pulled out a particularly thick envelope. "Happy engagement. I didn't have time to get you two an actual gift. Although, even if I had time I am not sure I would have come up with anything better than money."

Rose asked, "What is better than money? This way we can buy what we want. Thank you, Johnny."

Johnny laughed and said, "A girl after my own heart."

Michael stuffed the envelope in his jacket's pocket. "Thanks. I have to say I didn't just invite you because I wanted to enjoy your company."

Johnny smirked. "I would have never guessed." He spotted a passing waiter and grabbed a flute of champagne. Johnny took a drink. "So what is on your mind?"

"Well, I thought about the proposition you made and I talked it over with my bride-to-be. I've decided to take you up on your offer if it still stands. I think it is the best move for me and my family."

Johnny's smile widened and he pulled Michael into a hug. "You made the right decision. I am going to teach you everything that I know about this business."

"Thanks for giving me a chance, Johnny," said Michael returning the hug.

Jason watched the exchange between Johnny and Michael with a stiff jaw. He walked over to where Sonny and Brenda were dancing. Jason tapped Sonny on the shoulder and motioned to Michael, Johnny, and Rose across the room.

Sonny stopped dancing and stared at the scene. "What the hell is he doing here?" Sonny asked through gritted teeth.

"I don't know," said Jason.

Sonny kissed Brenda's cheek. "I need to go handle a small problem. I'll be right back."

Sonny and Jason made their way through the crowd and approached Johnny. Sonny asked, "What the hell are you doing here, Johnny?"

Michael got between the two men and said, "Johnny is a friend of mine. Rose and I invited him to the party tonight."

The look on Sonny's face was priceless. "Since when?"

"Johnny and I have been friends for awhile now," Michael replied coolly.

Johnny chuckled. "I am going to give you all some privacy to talk this out. I see some appetizers with my name on them." He walked off and joined the fray to escape the line of fire. If Michael was going to be a man he would have to fight this battle on his own.

Michael looked at Rose and kissed her softly. "Why don't you let me talk to my dad and uncle? I will catch up with you."

Rose and said, "Sure, I am going to go catch up with Johnny and make sure no one else gets the impression that Johnny is a party crasher." She walked off.

"Michael?" Sonny looked at Michael expectantly.

Michael said, "I am not sure that I know what you want me to say here. I invited Johnny because he's a been a good friend. Rose and I thought it was only right that he got to share in our celebration."

"You met with him this afternoon in the park," said Jason.

Michael chuckled. "So you have the security detail reporting back to you about my activities. I figured that was the case. I am glad that you just confirmed my suspicions. Well, that ends from now on. Rose and boys can still be chauffeured around by the security guards but I will drive myself from this point forward."

"Franco nearly killed you. Don't be a hot head and make a potentially devastating mistake," Jason said in a concerned voice. They still had no idea where Franco was hiding.

"It was an arrangement that was going to have to come to an end anyway. I am making some changes in my life. We can talk about those changes tomorrow. Tonight I want to enjoy the party." Michael hugged Sonny and then strolled across the room to find Rose and Johnny.

Carly saw Sonny and Jason standing together in an almost huddle and became concerned. She crossed the room and joined them. "What is wrong?"

Sonny ran a frustrated hand over his slicked back hair. "Michael invited Johnny Zacchara to the party tonight. I think Michael is going to go to work for Johnny. He told me as much this afternoon at the house but he left before I had the chance to talk to him."

Carly's face fell. "What? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't want you to worry until I had some sort of confirmation. Earlier I asked him how he would feel if Nicolas and Roman wanted to follow in his footsteps. He said that he'd realize that his operation wasn't the only one in town," said Sonny.

"Damnit, Sonny! He just got off of probation and now he is going to throw his life away working for Johnny Zacchara!" yelled Carly in a hushed whisper. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. There isn't a lot that we can do. The harder we push the more we are going to push Michael toward the thing we want the least. I say that we talk to Johnny after the party is over and try to do an end run around Michael," said Jason.

Carly shook her head. "I need a drink." She stormed off.

Jason said, "I better make sure she doesn't do anything to cause more trouble."

"I'll keep an eye on Carly. You keep an eye on Johnny. He doesn't leave this party without a sit down," said Sonny. He took off to catch up with Carly. "Hey..." He gently grabbed Carly's hand. "I need you to hold it together right now. If you freak out you could set Michael off on a path we can't pull him back from."

"I thought we were past having to worry about this, Sonny. He is interning at ELQ and he's going to college. He's getting married to a nice girl. And now we are back at square one," Carly lamented in a quiet voice so that she didn't draw attention to their conversation. She sniffled trying to hold back tears. "I feel so helpless not being able to do anything to save Michael from himself."

"I guess he was just bidding his time. He was waiting around to see if I was going to change my mind. I made sure he understood my position today." Sonny took in a deep breath and shook his head. "We are going to keep our son safe no matter what."

"How are we going to do that, Sonny?" asked Carly in an exasperated voice.

"Johnny could have an accident leaving the party tonight," whispered Sonny looking into Carly's eyes. There were no limits to what he would do to keep Michael safe.

A cheer went up from the floor as the DJ announced that Rose and Michael wanted everyone to join them on the dance floor. Carlos Santana's 'Oye Como Va' started playing as everyone moved onto the dance floor.

Carly watched Michael dancing with Rose and said, "That should be what he is focused on. His new life...instead he's trying to fall down the same rabbit hole. I thought we weren't going to have to worry about this after you made sure that Constantino wouldn't hire Michael. Maybe I can talk to Rose and get her to talk some sense into Michael."

"My guess is that Michael knew that the Marino Family wouldn't go against me and hire him. He went to someone that he knew wouldn't care if I was against the idea. I think that you will find that Rose won't be very receptive to that overture. From our conversation this afternoon it appears that Rose is on board with Michael venturing into the business," said Sonny.

"If Johnny has to die...then that is what needs to happen. My son is not joining the mob. I can't have that. I can't worry about him the way I worry about you and Jason. I can't do that, Sonny." Her face fell when she realized that Rose supported the idea. Carly was starting to wonder if Rose was the right person for her son after all.

"I never thought that Michael would go this far. I thought me telling him no would be enough..."

Carly heaved a sigh. "Sonny, as much as I hate to admit it Michael is as stubborn as we are. When have you or I ever been put off of an idea just because the first few avenues are closed?"

"We are persistent if nothing else. We are going to figure this out, Carly." He watched Michael and Rose dancing and really tried to accept the fact that Michael wasn't his little boy anymore. He was a grown man that had his own agenda.

"How did we raise a child so much like both of us? All we can hope is that Morgan is nothing like either of us," said Carly in an exasperated tone.

Sonny smiled hearing Santana's 'Evil Ways' starting to play. He looked at Carly and asked, "Do you want to dance? You've always been a fan of Santana."

Carly quirked an eyebrow at Sonny and asked, "Are you sure that your wife won't have a fit?"

"It is an innocent dance with the mother of two of my sons. Besides, how can you resist Evil Ways?" Sonny asked and extended his hand to Carly.

Carly smiled slightly and took Sonny's hand. The two of them moved onto the dance floor.

Rose and Michael were setting the dance floor on fire with their moves. She nodded her head at his parents. "I think they are trying to give us a run for our money."

Michael glanced over in their direction and couldn't help but smile. Seeing his parents on the dance floor together brought back a lot of good old memories from his childhood. It was like seeing back to a time that still made sense to him. He chuckled and said, "Well, let's not let them show us up on our night." Michael started to salsa and smiled seeing Rose easily fall into rhythm with him.

Carly and Sonny might not have been good together but they were amazing dance partners. When they started to dance it was like everything fell into place and for a moment Carly forgot they were on the dance floor in front of half of Port Charles. She and Sonny were in complete harmony as they broke out their best moves.

The song wasn't nearly long enough because before Sonny knew it the song was coming to an end and he realized that he'd have to let Carly go. "How about one more?" asked Sonny in an almost hopeful voice.

Carly briefly considered saying no but instead smiled at him. "Only if you think that you can keep up, old man."

That last comment caused Sonny to laugh hard. "Old man? I'll show you old man." However, instead of a fast song playing next there was another Santana song but this was a slower one. As soon as Europa started to play Sonny nearly stopped in his tracks. This was not just a song...this was their song. Sonny's eyes moved to Carly's crystal blue eyes to see if she recognized the song.

Carly looked like a deer in headlights. She didn't want to invite strange looks by refusing to dance with Sonny for a second song. And only a couple of people would realize that this song was their song. Carly smiled softly and said, "Come on, old man."

Sonny took Carly into his arms feeling almost awkward and slowly began to dance with her. But as soon as they started dancing it was like kismet. Sonny was transported back to the time when he first fell in love with Carly. When he believed that they had a future together...back when he believed that he could have everything.

Carly rested her head on Sonny's shoulder and danced with him. Halfway through the song she felt tears wetting the corners of her eyes. Everything good and bad about her and Sonny started rushing back like a wave. One of the reasons Carly loved him so much was because she knew that she could always count on him. He had been going out of his way to find a plan that would keep Jax at bay.

Brenda had seen enough of Sonny and Carly dancing together. She didn't like public scenes but she wasn't about to watch the unhinged Carly try to steal her husband right in front of her. She crossed the room with Jax hot on her heels. He had seen quite enough too.

"Get your hands off of my husband," Brenda demanded.

"Brenda, nothing is going on here. It is just a dance," Sonny tried to explain. However, he could see that his explanation was falling on deaf ears. Anyone that was watching Carly and Sonny dance together could see that this was more than just a dance.

"Don't you see what she is trying to do? Because Carly chased off her own husband she is trying to put her claws into you. And you are letting her get away with it. You let her barge into our lives whenever she wants. I need you to put a stop to this," said Brenda.

Sonny cleared his throat. "Can we talk about this at home?"

"No, I think we should talk about it here. Sonny, I love you but I can't feel like I am second place in your life. Not second place to Carly. I am your wife not her. She uses your kids to park herself in your life and you just allow it. This girl is nuts. She is manipulative...she is a liar...and she will do anything to break us up. You've known that from the beginning but still you allow her into our lives. What hold does she have over you? It can't just be Michael and Morgan."

Carly was too stunned and overcome with emotion to speak for a moment. She looked at Sonny. "I'm sorry..." whispered Carly. She took off running feeling tears starting to slide down her cheeks.

Sonny was stunned by the sudden movement. "Carly?" He watched as Carly high tailed it from the room.

Michael walked over. "Dad? What happened?"

"I...I...honestly don't know, Son. I've got to go find your mother," said Sonny taking off through the crowd to catch up with Carly.

Rose joined Michael. "What the hell was that?"

"Not a clue. We need to distract the looky loos," Michael said as he glanced around at the people staring at Sonny, Carly, Jax, and Brenda's retreating figures.

"I've got it under control. You go find your parents." Rose gathered Kristina, Molly, and her sister-in-law, Raina and convinced them to get 'The Bunny Hop' going.

Michael searched for his parents but were unable to find them.

Rose walked over. "Where could they be?"

"I don't know...I don't think they would have left," said Michael.

Rose asked, "What about Carly's suite?"

"Good idea. I am going to go up there. I don't need an actual fight to break out. Somehow I should have known this would happen. My family is incapable of normal."

"You aren't going by yourself, Michael. You didn't leave me alone to deal with my crazy parents. I am not going to leave you alone with yours either," said Rose. She took Michael's hand and they made their way to the elevators. Rose mashed the up button and waited impatiently for the elevator.

"Something is going on with my mother. What Brenda said wasn't enough to bring my mother to tears. She isn't that type of woman," said Michael as the elevator doors opened. Michael and Rose walked onto the elevator and he pressed their floor. He shook his head thinking it over.

Johnny stuck his hand in the elevator to stop the doors from closing. "Where are you youngsters off to?"

"I need to make sure that my mom is okay. Something happened out there," said Michael absentmindedly.

Johnny said, "I'll come with. Should be entertaining."

When the elevator doors opened onto the floor Michael could hear shouting and screams coming from his mother's suite at the other end of the hall. As he stepped off of the elevator he spotted Sonny and Brenda talking to one another in the hallway not far away from Carly's suite.

Michael walked into the open door of Carly's suite and froze. It took a moment for Michael to process the scene in front of him. Jax and Carly were screaming at one another about Sonny and the custody situation with Josslyn. However, it was what happened next that shocked Michael out of his trance.

Jax grabbed both of Carly's arms and shook her. "I always knew that your connection with Sonny was more than you led me to believe it was. I saw the way you looked tonight dancing with him. You are still in love with him! Don't lie to me!"

It was like in that moment Michael snapped. He rushed up behind Jax. Michael physically picked him up and slammed the taller man down onto the floor so hard that it shocked even him. He started to punch Jax.

Jax fought back punching Michael.

"Michael!" cried Carly in shock. She had never seen her son react like that before. Carly wanted to go towards him but her feet felt rooted to the ground.

"You keep your hands off of my mother!" screamed Michael as he punched Jax.

Johnny tried to pull Michael off of Jax but had little success.

Sonny heard Carly scream Michael's name and abandoned his argument with Brenda to rush into the room. He saw his son and Jax wrestling on the floor. Michael appeared to be getting the better of Jax. Sonny hooked his arms under Michael's shoulders and forcibly dragged him off of Jax's body. "Michael!"

Brenda stood at the door in shock. She rushed over to Jax seeing his bruised and bloodied face. "Oh my God. We need to call an ambulance."

Rose asked, "Are you crazy? They will slap the cuffs on Michael without even a second thought. And look what he did to Michael's face. Baby, are you okay?" Rose inspected Michael's face.

"Maybe that is what needs to happen. I think your nose is broken," whispered Brenda in shock looking at Jax's face. She got up from the floor and grabbed a box of Kleenex from the console table and tried to clean Jax's face.

"We are not calling anyone. Michael just got off of probation today. We are not about to ruin his life because of what just happened here. It was a misunderstanding." Sonny's voice was low and menacing.

Johnny said, "Jax can call the cops if he'd like. But I'll swear that I saw him strike Carly and attack Michael when he came to her aid." He was used to lying to the police on a regular basis and if that was what it took to save his protégé...he'd do it.

Jax scoffed. "I did no such thing and Carly wouldn't lie about something like that. We were having an argument and Michael went insane. I may not call the police but this is definitely something that I will be telling the judge in our custody case. Michael is just as unhinged as his father and shouldn't be around Josslyn. Brenda will be my witness. Right, Brenda?"

Brenda thought about how to word her next statement carefully. She said, "I saw Sonny having to pull Michael off of you. And it looks like you were the victim. I'll tell the judge that. But I don't think Michael would hurt his little sister, Jax."

Carly swallowed slightly and looked at her arms. "Your hand prints are on my arms. Michael thought he was protecting me. I am not going to let my son go to jail because he thought he needed to protect me from you. If you call the police I'll back Johnny's story. I am sure that Rose will too."

Rose nodded said, "That is exactly what happened. We heard screaming from the hallway before we even made it inside. My brothers would have done worst if they saw some guy manhandling my mother."

"So we need to make this one big misunderstanding and let it go," said Carly in a calm voice.

"There was no misunderstanding," said Michael in an ice cold voice. His eyes were hardened with anger. Michael shook Sonny off of him.

Sonny's eyes moved to Carly's arms and saw the red hand prints. "I don't know...I have to agree with Michael. I don't think that there was a misunderstanding here."

Carly went over to Sonny seeing the same look in his eyes that she had just witnessed in her own son. "Nothing happened, Sonny. Michael just panicked. He didn't understand what was going on and just reacted." She turned around and looked at Jax. "You know what happened to Michael in prison. Don't drag my son through the mud just to get back at me. He thought you were hurting me."

Jax looked at Carly's arms and paled slightly. In his fury he hadn't realized that he was holding onto her that tightly. By no means was Jax a violent man. And more than anything he did love Carly even if they were going through an acrimonious divorce. He got up from the floor and walked over to Carly. "I...I'm sorry. I am not the person to ever hurt a woman. You know that, Carly. I love you. It's just when you said that Josslyn wasn't my baby...I just wanted you to tell the truth. I never imagined that I was hurting you. I can only imagine what that must have looked like to Michael."

He glanced at her arms and shook his head. He didn't like the person that he was becoming because of this custody battle. He wanted to keep Josslyn safe but it seemed the longer he fought the more of his soul he sold to the devil.

He turned his attention to Michael. "I am so sorry. I would never hurt your mother. Please tell me you know that, Michael."

Johnny said, "This seems like a family situation. But if my account of things is needed...just let me know."

"Thanks, Johnny," said Michael.

Carly said, "I wasn't lying to you, Jax. After Lucky told me about Jake being sick with Wilson's disease...it scared me. The idea that there could be a ticking time bomb in my baby. So I took Joss to the hospital earlier in the week to have the genetic panel run on her. I got the report back today and I found out you can't possibly be Josslyn's father, Jax. Her blood type is type O. You only get a type O baby from two type O parents."

Sonny's mouth fell open slightly. "Carly?"

Jax looked between Sonny and Carly. "No..." He shook his head.

"When we separated I slept with Sonny. It was once and it never occurred to me that you might not be Josslyn's father," Carly said in a strained voice.

"That is what you came to my house to tell me this afternoon?" asked Sonny walking closer to Carly.

She nodded slightly.

Michael looked at Rose. "Let's go." He had enough of his family's craziness for one night.

Rose walked out of the room with Michael and headed to the elevator.

"Let's go somewhere for Spring Break," said Michael.

"Where?" asked Rose.

"Anywhere...we'll go back to your place, pack a couple of bags, and pick up the boys. I need to put some space between me and Port Charles right now," Michael said in a distant voice.

"Sure, baby. That is what we will do." Rose slipped her hand into Michael's hand and squeezed gently. "Let's slip out of the back and get a cab."

As they walked out of the elevator Michael nodded. "Yeah..." They left out a side entrance and hailed a cab on the main street.

* * *

A couple of hours later Rose, Michael, Roman, and Nicolas were on Sonny's plane on their way to one of his islands. Rose looked at the tense look on Michael's face and silently worried for her fiancé. She had not seen Michael in such a state in a quite awhile. Rose glanced over at her slumbering sons.

Michael saw the way that Rose was looking at the boys and reached over gently taking her hand. "We aren't our parents, Rosie. We aren't going to do to them what our parents do to us," said Michael speaking for the first time in hours. He lifted her hand and kissed it gently.

"I know," whispered Rose in response. She looked over at Michael with a small smile on her face, but her eyes spoke volumes.

"I'll leave before I cause you that kind of pain," promised Michael. But in his heart he didn't know if he'd be able to keep that promise.

"You really think I'd ever let you run off and leave me? When I said that you were stuck with me, Corinthos...I meant it. We aren't our parents and we will have to work every day to make sure that we aren't anything like them. For as much as they hate each other...they love each other too. I don't want to ever hate you, Michael."

Michael looked into her eyes and gently tucked Rose's hair behind her ear. "And I never want to hate you, Rose. I know one thing... I need you in my life." He leaned his head down onto hers and just sat there in silence.

"You have me, Michael. I am not going anywhere," whispered Rose. She moved her head to kiss him softly.

He returned the kiss with a smile. "You should probably get a little sleep, Rose. This is a long flight and I can almost guarantee the boys will be up and ready to play by the time we land."

She chuckled. "You are probably right." Rose kicked off her shoes and curled up some to get comfortable. She pulled the blue blanket over her and closed her eyes tiredly.

Michael put an arm around her and closed his eyes as well. He wasn't sleepy. He just wanted some peace and quiet to think things over. Michael knew that they would return to a firestorm but right now he didn't care.

In the silence of the plush jet Michael was able relax. Hours later they landed at the regional airport.

Rose slipped her shoes back on. She glanced at Michael and frowned. "Did you get any sleep?"

He shook his head. "No, I wasn't particularly tired. I am glad that you were able to rest. The boys never woke up either. I called ahead and had the house prepared for us. I think that you and the boys are really going to like it here. I know I always did as a child."

"I am sure that it is perfect. Besides, Nicolas and Roman love being in water. Anywhere with a beach is going to be perfect for them. You know our parents are going to flip out when they realize we skipped town," said Rose.

"Oh...I know. I just don't care. This isn't about them. This is about us and what we need and want." Once the plane was in position Michael, Rose, Roman, and Nicolas exited the plane, collected their luggage, and climbed into the waiting car. He relaxed against the leather seat watching the scenery fly by the car. "When I look at this...I remember just how fortunate I have been. How many children can say they have this?"

"Their own island? Not many. I know what you mean...for all of the bad things we've been through. We have experienced things and places that people only dream about."

"How can I hate my father's life when it has provided so much for me and my family? My dad came from a street kid with nothing to this. I mean absolutely nothing...to being the man he is today. How could he think I would want to be anything else is beyond me," said Michael.

Rose quipped, "Wishful thinking on his part. It reminds me of something my uncle said when I was younger. I am what I am, I can't be any different."

"I don't want to be any different," Michael added with a smile.

"I wouldn't want you to be any different."

When they arrived at the seaside villa the caretaker was waiting for them. He smiled and shook Michael's hand. "Mr. Corinthos, it is good to see you again. And I imagine this beautiful young woman is the fiancé you mentioned when you phoned."

Michael shifted Roman in his arms slightly and nodded. "Yes, she is. This is Rose Marino."

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Marino. I am Sergio. If you need anything during your stay here please do not hesitate to call on me. Please...go inside and I will bring in your bags."

"Thanks, Sergio." Michael walked into the villa and headed toward the room that was next door to the room he would be sharing with Rose. He helped her get the boys tucked into the bed.

After Sergio brought in their bags he asked, "Do you need anything else, Mr. Corinthos?"

"No, I don't need anything, Sergio. Thank you for getting this place ready so quickly." Michael tipped Sergio and walked the man to the door. He locked up the house and then walked back to his bedroom. Michael smiled seeing Rose standing out on the veranda. "Perfect isn't it?" asked Michael as the sun started to rise.

"Breathtaking is more like it," said Rose in awe of their surroundings. She missed the beach and ocean more than she had allowed herself to admit. Rose heard her phone ding from her purse in the bedroom.

"You turned your phone on already?" asked Michael.

"Of course. I wanted to see if anyone realized that we were gone. I think the only people that suspect that we've left town is Kristina and my brother, Mateo. I have six text messages from them and a voice mail from my brother."

"I figured Krissy would miss us. Our parents probably won't figure it out until later. But I don't want to talk about them. I want to enjoy being here in the peace and quiet before we start getting angry phone calls."

Rose said, "You should at least call Kristina before she sounds the alarm thinking that you've been kidnapped or worse. Won't your Dad miss his jet?" She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I am going to go get a shower."

"You have a point. No, I told the pilot to refuel and head back. He should be back before my dad knows the plane moved." Michael pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and turned it on. He chuckled seeing that there were quite a few text messages from his sister. Michael called Kristina and had a seat on a couch on the veranda.

Kristina picked up after the second ring. "Michael? Where are you?" asked Kristina in a sleepy voice.

"I took Rose and the boys on vacation. But I don't really want you to tell anyone. I just need a break. I just called because I didn't want you to worry about me. Oh and tell Molly that we will open the presents another day...okay?" asked Michael.

"What happened? I never saw you again after you took off after Dad and Carly. Later on I saw Dad and Carly leaving the party." Kristina was nothing if not observant.

"I don't want to talk about it tonight, Krissy. I'll tell you everything later. I just want to get some sleep now. Make sure you keep this to yourself."

Kristina said, "Of course. I am not going to tell anyone anything. No one asked me about you so your secret is safe so far."

"Good. I'll call you later. Bye, Krissy."

"Good bye, Michael." Kristina ended the call feeling better now that she was sure Michael was okay.

Michael closed the French doors and locked them. He stripped out of his clothes and climbed into the bed tiredly. He was finally relaxed enough to get some sleep. Michael rested his head against the pillows and waited for Rose to come to bed.

30 minutes Rose quietly slipped into bed thinking that Michael was asleep.

Michael opened one eye to glance at her. "I was waiting for you."

She laughed. "You are too stealth. I was so sure that you were asleep." Rose slipped into the bed and slid next to Michael. "That shower was awesome. Did you call Kristina?"

"I did. Everything is fine on the home front. No one has asked Kristina about me and you know she'd be their first stop. We can relax for a little while anyway. You know I was thinking while you were in the shower. Why don't we get married while we are here?"

"What?" asked Rose shocked.

"I mean it...you saw what happened tonight. My parents went crazy and yours were shooting daggers at one another all evening. I wouldn't be surprised if that ended up in some sort of fight after we left."

Rose shook her head and said, "Mateo's voice mail said they waited until they got back to the house to tear into one another."

"The point is...they are going to ruin our wedding. I don't want it to be about them and whatever their drama will be at the time. I want our wedding to be about me, you, the boys, and the live we are planning to together," Michael said in a serious voice. "I know it won't be your dream wedding, but..."

Rose was quiet for awhile thinking over Michael's proposal. "I always dreamed that my family would be at my wedding and I still want that. But I am open to a compromise. Why don't we get married here for the two of us? We can still have our wedding later this summer with our families. And that way it doesn't matter if they mess it up or not. We've already had the wedding that really matters. Besides, you know it would really hurt our parents if we don't have a wedding we invite them to...you know our roles in our family."

"Yeah, I know...we are the ones that are supposed to make things better. We excuse our parents' eccentricities and love them anyway. Fine, that is what we will do. We will get married here on the island and still have the big wedding later in the summer. I just want to make you my wife at the end of the day. That is all that really matters to me," said Michael kissing her softly. He lightly brushed her hair away from her face. "Are you sure you want to sign up for this life...for this family?"

Rose smiled looking into his eyes and said, "I'd say I've seen your family at it's very worse and I haven't run screaming yet. I am not going anywhere, Michael. In for a penny...in for a pound."

"That's my girl," whispered Michael with a smile. "I want to show you something." He climbed off the bed and grabbed a picture on the bedside table.

Rose followed Michael out onto the veranda and asked, "What?"

He motioned to the picture of the two of them as children and motioned to a set of rocks off in the distance on the beach. "Look familiar?"

Rose gasped softly. "Michael!"

"I want us to get married…right here. The place where we first met one another," said Michael looking into her eyes.

Rose threw her arms around Michael and kissed him tenderly. "You are amazing," Rose murmured against his lips.

"I know that I am." He picked her up and playfully tossed her over his shoulder. Michael walked back inside the room and locked the doors behind him. He dropped her on the bed and climbed in with her.

"So when do you start working for Johnny?" asked Rose. Her dreams were coming true. She wanted to be sure that Michael's were coming true as well.

"I don't know. We didn't set up any sort of time frame when he offered me the job. I'd imagine soon though. He wants me to start working in Port Charles first before setting me up with a crew of his in the city. It seems like Johnny and Ethan will be responsible for showing me the ropes," Michael explained.

"Do you think that you can really trust, Johnny Zacchara?" asked Rose.

"About as much as you can trust any sociopath crime boss that you aren't related to by blood or marriage. I think some of Johnny's motives are altruistic, but I'd be a fool not to see that there are benefits for him too. I might be letting him take me under his wing but I will not turn a blind eye to the situation."

Rose nodded satisfied with Michael's answer. "I didn't get to talk to him for very long this evening but I got the distinct feeling that he is slick. Reminds me a lot of my own brothers...master manipulators. Nothing wrong with that as long as you aren't the one getting played."

"He is a means to an end, babe. Sure, I'd like to be friends with Johnny. He's always been a straight with me. But if I had to choose between him and myself...I am going to pick me every time. Sports book is small but it will get my foot in the door. I know a lot about it already, in general. I will just need to learn how Johnny's organization runs things."

"Good, if you ever need any help let me know. Not that I don't think that you can do this on your own. I am just letting you know that I am more than just a pretty face. My brother Romeo used to run a sports book and a couple of high stakes card games in Miami."

Michael said, "You will be the first person I come to if I think I need help. Or if I just need to bounce ideas off of you. Like I told my Dad...I don't intend to shut you out. I think that is what has ruined all of his relationships. The business is such a big part of his life and if he has to keep that separate from the person he is sharing his life with...well there isn't much of his life left to share. I think Brenda is learning that the hard way. Between the business, my dad's kids, and the mothers of his children...there isn't much room in his life for Brenda. 50% is devoted to the business, 40% to my siblings and our mothers, and Brenda gets 10%. Who would be happy with 10%?"

"It would drive me crazy not knowing what was going on. It makes me feel like I am not in control of my own life. I wouldn't be able to handle that. I like what we have."

"Yeah...I'm lucky. I found the girl of my dreams by accident." Michael closed his eyes.

"Oh you found me?" asked Rose laughing. "I was the one that came to sit with you that day in the courtyard. So I was the one that found you."

Michael laughed. "Fair enough. You found me. But I am the one that proposed so I get the credit."

Rose playfully whacked him with a pillow.

Michael grabbed the pillow and tossed it onto the floor. He pinned Rose to the bed and started tickling her.

"Oh not fair! You are stronger than I am!" giggled Rose squirming under his weight.

"I know...that is sort of the point. I was trying to go to sleep but you hit me with a pillow! You started this war that you are currently losing," said Michael with a grin.

"Okay! Okay! I surrender!" squealed Rose quietly.

Michael grinned and rolled off of Rose. He flopped onto his side of the bed.

Rose whacked him with another pillow and giggled. "Ha!"

Michael laughed heartily. "You just had to get the last blow in huh?"

"I can't help it. I am a winner by nature and upbringing. I happen to be proud of my Type A personality."

"Two Type A personalities being married to one another. We will either take over the world or destroy it," said Michael with a smirk.

"Perhaps a little bit of both. I like to keep my options open." She snuggled up against Michael's side and said, "I will let you go to sleep now."

"Well, that is very nice of you." He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Good night, Rosie."

Michael curled an arm around her and closed his eyes. He could feel the veil of sleep descending upon him. Frankly, he was exhausted.

* * *

The next evening Sonny knocked on Marco Marino's door. He looked haggard as if he had not gotten any rest.

Marco opened the door and smiled warmly. "You look worse for wear, Sonny. Come on in," said Marco moving to let Sonny into the house. He closed the door behind him and asked, "What can I do for you? Do you want something to drink?" He walked over to the bar to make a drink.

"Yeah, long night and even longer day. I actually came by to see Michael. He hasn't been answering any of Carly's calls and she is really starting to get worried about him. I tried to tell her that he is probably just reeling from everything that happened last night. Somehow Michael found himself in the middle of our drama. I'd love a glass of scotch."

Marco nodded in understanding. He poured Sonny a glass of scotch and then sat down with his own drink. "I've got amends to make tonight. My sons refused to stay here last night after the argument that Theresa and I had. They might love their dad...but she is their mother. I've got to figure out a way to deal with her that doesn't involve my children having to choose sides. I don't want to put them through that...and I think in the end I would lose if they really had to choose."

Sonny clapped Marco on the back. "You'll set it right. As fathers that is all we can do. As crazy as Carly is, and trust me she is crazy, she is a good mother. Have you seen Michael today? How did he seem?" He had a seat across from Marco and enjoyed the glass of scotch. He wasn't looking forward to talking to Michael. His son had asked for one thing last night and Sonny had not been able to deliver.

"To the crazy women we fell in love with and the wonderful children they bore us," said Marco raising his glass. "I actually haven't seen Michael or Rose today. They left the party fairly early last night. I figured there were just making themselves scarce today. I do know that they slipped their security team last night. We'll have to talk about that."

"Michael is getting rid of his security detail altogether. I have a feeling it'd interfere with his new line of work with John Zacchara. That is another reason I need to talk to Michael." Sonny finished his glass of scotch. "I suppose I can't avoid the inevitable forever. I am going to go out there and have a talk with Michael."

Marco chuckled and said, "Don't feel bad. I won't be far behind you making my own mea culpa."

Sonny headed out to the guest house and knocked on the door. He waited for an answer for awhile before knocking again. Sonny tried the door and realized that it was open. "Michael? Rose?" asked Sonny as he walked into the guesthouse. He looked around for them.

Sonny walked back up to the main house and found Marco in the living room. "They aren't there. Are you sure they came home last night?" asked Sonny.

"Yes, I am sure. The nanny Harriet said that they came home and relieved her around 10:00 last night. Let me check the garage and see if they took one of the cars." Marco walked out of the house feeling his pulse quicken. He used his remote to open the garage and said, "Michael's car is gone."

Sonny shook his head. "They came here, picked up the kids, and took off. Damn it! I hope that Michael is ignoring me..." He couldn't let himself vocalize the other option. Franco could have been waiting for the right moment to grab Michael and last night would have been perfect.  
"I am going to call Jason and have him get onto looking for Michael, Rose, and the kids."

Marco nodded. "I am going to start calling my contacts. I'll call you if I find out anything." He headed back into the house.

Sonny climbed into his car and said, "Drive me back to Carly's house, Milo." He took out his cell phone and called Jason.

"Morgan," said Jason answering his phone.

"Jason, Michael, Rose, Roman, and Nicolas are missing."

"Since when?" asked Jason.

"Since last night. The last person to see them was the nanny at Marco's house. I am heading back to Carly's house now to tell her. She's been calling Michael off and on all day. She's beside herself and this isn't going to make things much better. Do you think that this is Franco?"

"I'll get Spinelli working on tracking them. I don't think that this is Franco. He would have made noise about having them by now. I think Michael just ran off after what happened at the party last night."

"Alright...let me know when you know anything, Jason." Sonny ended the call and sat back thinking about what he was going to say to Carly. This was the last thing she needed after the way things blew up last night. He had spent the night at her house on the couch. Sonny knew that Brenda had spent the previous night in Jax's suite. He didn't understand how they all had the uncanny ability to make everything a complete disaster.

Before Sonny realized it the car was stopped in front of Carly's house. He climbed out and said, "Stay out here." He walked into Carly's house.

Carly rushed into the foyer hearing the front door open. "Did you talk to Michael? Is he okay?"

Sonny took Carly by the hand and led her into the living room. "You should have a seat."

"I don't want to have a seat!" railed Carly.

"Carly," Sonny said firmly but with soft eyes.

She swallowed hard and had a seat on the couch. "What is going on, Sonny? Is Michael okay?"

"Michael wasn't at Marco's house. Marco and Jason are already searching for them."

"Them? So Rose is with him?"' asked Carly.

He nodded. "They took the boys with them too."

"Oh, God. What if they don't come back, Sonny?" asked Carly. "Michael has full access to his trust fund. He doesn't need us anymore."

"Carly, I need you to calm down. We are going to find Michael and I will drag him back here kicking and screaming if I have to. We are not going to lose our son. He doesn't have the resources or skills to just drop off the face of the Earth. Not to mention he has Rose and the boys with him. He is going to go somewhere that he knows they would be safe. Michael protects the people he loves even if he is reckless with himself."

Carly took a deep breath. The things that Sonny was saying did make sense to her. "If Michael was going to take off...he'd at least tell Kristina. We should go over to Alexis' house and see if she knows anything. Morgan is over there already. We can ask him if he knows anything."

Sonny said, "That is a good idea. It is easier to tell if Kristina is lying to me if I am looking at her face to face. Why don't you go upstairs and grab Josslyn? I don't like the idea of leaving her here alone with the nanny. Jax was not deterred."

Carly nodded. "Okay, give me a couple of minutes to get Josslyn ready."

What Sonny hadn't said to Carly was that even if Michael had disappeared of his own accord that didn't mean that Franco hadn't been watching him. Grabbing Michael when he was so far away from protection would be easy.

Once Josslyn was ready the three of them left the house and rode out to Alexis' lakehouse. Sonny knocked on the door.

Alexis opened the door. "Sonny...Carly...what's going on?" asked Alexis quirking an eyebrow.

"We need to talk to the kids. We were hoping they might know where Michael is right now," said Carly.

Alexis nodded slightly. "Come on in. Morgan and Molly are in the living room."

Sonny and Carly came into the house. "Where is Kristina?" asked Sonny.

"Oh she is over at Dante's loft. She wanted to get some fashion tips from Lulu," said Alexis.

Sonny said, "I'll call Dante and ask him to bring her home. Kristina would lie for her brother."

"That she would," agreed Alexis.

Sonny stepped out onto the porch and called Dante's cell. He waited impatiently to get an answer.

Dante was sitting on a plane waiting for it to take off. He saw Sonny was calling. "Sonny...what can I do for you?"

Sonny said, "I was wondering if you could bring Kristina home. I need to talk to her."

Dante cleared his throat slightly. "Uh, Kristina isn't with me and Lulu."

Sonny heard the strange tone of Dante's voice and immediately became suspicious. "Do you know where Kristina is then?"

Dante sighed. "I do know where Kristina is and I am on my way to get her. I was trying to avoid anyone getting into any trouble with their parental figures."

"Anyone? Do you know where Michael is?" asked Sonny.

"You know that Michael is gone?" asked Dante.

"Yes, I just found out about an hour ago. Dante...what is going on? asked Sonny trying not to sound annoyed. Keeping younger siblings out of trouble was what an older brother was supposed to do.

"Lulu got a call from Nikolas this afternoon. Apparently, Kristina asked Nikolas for money this morning. He didn't find out what it was for until later on. He found out from Brook Lynn that Michael and Rose are on one of your islands and are planning on getting married sometime in the next couple of days. Kristina wanted the money for a plane ticket so that she could be there for the wedding. I am on my way there with Lulu now to bring them back home."

Sonny had a seat on the stairs. On the one hand he was glad to know that Michael, Rose, and the kids were okay. On the other hand it broke his heart that he and Carly had caused so much damage to their son that he was running off to get married. "Carly and I will be flying down there. Don't tell them that we are coming. We've got to mend some fences."

"What happened last night?" asked Dante.

"I'll tell you when I see you in person, Dante. We'll be there tonight."

"Bye, Sonny."

Sonny walked back into Alexis' house.

Alexis frowned seeing the look on his face. "What is it?"

"Kristina isn't with Dante...she's with Michael. She flew down to one of the islands because Michael and Rose are going to get married there. I'll call around and find out which one. I didn't even bother to ask Dante," said Sonny.

Carly paused a moment and said, "I think I know which one...if Michael wanted to escape our madness and be somewhere happy...some place special."

Sonny smiled slightly as the answer hit him. "Not just that...that's the island where he and Rose first met as kids. That picture I gave him months ago was taken a couple of yards away from the villa. He must have recognized the island or remembered meeting her there."

"Well, let's go get them!" said Carly.

"I think in this situation...we should just go and support our son."

"And collect our daughter," said Alexis scowling slightly. But she knew that Kristina would walk across hot coals if it meant being there for Michael. It was a dedication that she'd seen Michael return on several occasions. "I am coming with you. I'll call Sam and see if she can keep an eye on Molly."

"Mom? Why can't I go too? I want to see Michael and Rose get married too..." said Molly.

Sonny quirked an eyebrow at Morgan and Molly. "Did the two of you already know about this?"

Morgan looked at the ground a moment before nodding. "Kristina told us before she left. She said that we couldn't go because weren't 18."

"And she figured she'd get into a lot more trouble for taking us without telling you guys," Molly added.

Alexis shook her head. "What am I going to do with you girls? You are giving me gray hair. Alright alright. You can come along Molly."

"Mom?" asked Morgan looking at Carly.

"Yes, you can come too Morgan," said Carly.

Sonny said, "I am going to call to have the jet fueled. We should get you and the kids home so that you can pack, Carly."

Alexis asked, "What time is the plane leaving?"

Sonny glanced at his watch. "Two hours."

"Alright...we'll meet you at the airstrip," said Alexis.


	17. Chapter 17

Most people looked at their teen years as a time for partying and learning about who they wanted to be when they became adults. Michael had not been afforded that luxury in his short life. He had been surrounded by violence and crime from his earliest memories. His one aspiration in life had been to be like his father. It had always been Michael's dream that one day Sonny would welcome him into the business he grew up in the shadow of. Perhaps it had been naivety on his part. Or maybe he was just unwilling to see the determination of his father. Sonny was never going to let Michael join the Corinthos organization. So as much as it pained him...he had to look for other avenues.

That was why Michael invited Johnny Zacchara to attend his tropical island nuptials. He was no fool. Michael realized that Johnny was attempting to pull him closer. So, he figured it was only fair that he pull Johnny in closer as well. If Johnny wanted to treat him as a little brother...then he'd very well play the part. At this point they both needed one another to accomplish their goals. What he had not expected was for Johnny to bring Ethan Lovett along for the ride.

Michael had no problem with Ethan but he was a bit gun shy. That was probably because Ethan was a conman and not a mobster. He couldn't connect with Johnny the same way that Michael could connect with him. They were both raised in a business that they understood the minutia of but had yet to fully achieve their dreams.

Another unexpected event had been the arrival of Michael's younger sister, Kristina. Being ever resourceful, Krissy had managed to get the funds to pay for a first class ticket down to the island. She happened to end up on the same flight with Johnny and Ethan. Although, looking back Michael shouldn't have been too surprised. Telling Kristina he was going to get married without her was like begging her to show up.

Michael stood in the villa's gourmet out-door kitchen cleaning the bucket of fish he'd caught that evening on the boat. Everyone else was out on the beach enjoying music and keeping watch on the clambake he had going.

Rose walked into the kitchen and asked, "Penny for your thoughts? You have been quiet all evening."

Michael glanced at Rose and a smile flickered across his face. She looked absolutely beautiful to him. Her long chocolate brown hair swept to one side of her head. In the cool ocean breeze Rose's multicolored summer dress lightly swayed. She was the picture of beauty.

"I was just thinking about the great day that we had to today. Do you think the boys had a good time?"

"Do I think they had a good time?" Rose asked incredulously.

"Michael, they had an amazing time out on that boat and in the water. I've never seen Nicolas and Roman so excited. When you pulled that first fish overboard...they couldn't stop jumping up and down. You were great today. You're great to them every day."

"I just wanted today to be special. My times here with my parents were always amazing. No matter the reason for us being here...it was always like magic to me. I want the boys to experience that magic too."

Rose kissed his cheek and with a smile said, "Today was special. The boys had a blast on the boat. You're good to them and for them and I love you so much for that. I can't wait to give them your last name. I don't want there to be any doubt in anyone's mind that you're their father now."

Michael smirked slightly. "First, we have to give their mother my last name. But I promise you that I will get Diane on the job as soon as we make it back to Port Charles. I already love them like my own flesh and blood. Soon they'll have my last name to match. They'll be entitled to all the good and the bad that comes along with that. Are you ready for that?"

"Of course, Michael." She paused for a moment as if she was in thought. "Is that why Johnny has been here all evening but you haven't said word one to him about your position in his organization?"

"I still have time to back out of the deal if you feel uncertain," said Michael. He stopped cleaning the fish and turned so that he was looking into those chocolate brown eyes he'd fell in love with.

"I don't want you to back out, Michael. You have to do this for yourself. This is what you want. You'll regret not going for it if you let this opportunity slip through your fingers. I know you are thinking about the mess our parents' have made of their lives but we aren't them, Michael. This life isn't going to scare me away. I am not going to suddenly turn on you."

Michael smiled. "I needed to hear that."

"I'll always be here for you when you need me, Michael. Just like you are always here for me. I can't say that I am not a little nervous about what this means for our future. Working for one of our families would provide more safety than working for Johnny. That is scary…I don't want anything to happen to you," said Rose.

"My dad wouldn't be able to assure my safety, Rose. I'd be just as exposed if I was working for him," said Michael.

Rose said, "I know that, but I know that your father wouldn't throw you under the bus to save his own skin. I do not have that sort of faith in Johnny. I also know that Sonny and Jason would sacrifice themselves if it meant protecting you."

Michael couldn't disagree with her logic. "That is true, but there is no way that I'd let my father or uncle take the fall for me, Rose. I'm not that type of person."

Rose offered a smile small. "I know that, too. You are loyal and proud. I love those qualities about you."

Michael smirked and said, "I didn't know that."

"Do you think that couple is going to accept our offer on the lake house?"

"I don't know, but I hope so. That place out on the lake is perfect for us. We really need a house of our own. Staying in your dad's house once I start working for Johnny isn't going to work out," said Michael.

"I know but at some point you need to talk to Johnny and figure out when you will start working for him. And on that note I am going to go out there to tell Johnny that you are looking for him. I'll be sure to keep Krissy from snooping," said Rose. She leaned up and planted a kiss on Michael's lips. "Knock em' dead..."

Rose strolled out of the outdoor kitchen and made her way over to the where Johnny was sitting on the beach. "Johnny, Michael was wondering if you two could have a chat."

Johnny glanced back at Michael and nodded. He picked up his bottle of beer and joined Michael on the patio. Johnny had a seat as he watched Michael clean and butcher the fish rather skillfully. "Pretty good with the knife, kid."

"Years of watching my dad do the same thing. I've gotten good over the years. Once I decide that I want to learn something...well that is what I do. That is what I want talk to you about. When do you want me to start working for you?" asked Michael.

Johnny wasn't surprised that this was the topic of the conversation. However, he was surprised that Michael started the conversation so confidently. He took a swig of his beer and said, "Well, that all depends on when you can start. I know you have school, your internship at ELQ, and everything else that is going on in your life right now."

"I've only got a couple of weeks left in the school year. I'll keep interning at ELQ to keep up appearances, but I want to start working for you as soon as possible. I only have a few months to start learning from you before I have to leave for college."

"Well, the hockey playoffs are just getting started so I could use your help taking the action on that. Not to mention the baseball season is just getting started. I can get you started on how we take bets and how we collect the money. We can get you started as soon as you come back to Port Charles. My new club, Rumors, will be opening next month. I'd like your help managing it," said Johnny.

Michael smiled and washed off his hands. He walked over and extended his hand to Johnny. "Thanks for giving me a chance, Johnny. You aren't going to regret doing this."

Johnny stood up and shook Michael's hand. "I know that I won't regret it. You are a smart kid and you are on your way to college. That sort of thing is exactly what I need in my organization. If you put that big brain to use for me I know that you won't go wrong. You need any help with this fish?"

Michael laughed and said, "Yeah, I am sure my parents will be thrilled that I am a college educated mobster. But I suppose you have to change with the times. Can't be about cracking heads and kneecaps forever. Sure I could use the help. You know how to clean fish?"

Johnny nodded. "Yeah, Claudia taught me how to do it. My sister was always more guy than girl." He laughed and started cleaning fish with Michael. Once they finished Johnny helped him carry everything out onto the beach where everyone else was waiting.

A portable radio blasted tunes into the quiet night air and the waves of the ocean crashed against the shore a few feet away.

Kristina stood behind Michael and picked with his ear. She asked, "Is dinner almost ready? I am starving, Michael. I have not eaten in hours."

Michael laughed at his younger sister. "You won't die of starvation. I promise you that. Dinner will be ready when it is ready. A clam bake takes time, Krissy. And I can't throw the fish onto the grill until the clam bake is almost finished. No one likes cold fish."

Kristina smiled and said, "I just like bugging you. In a couple of months we will be miles apart at different colleges. Now I sort of wish that I applied to Columbia with the two of you."

"Yale has always been your dream, Krissy. And we won't really be that far away from one another. You can come and stay with Rose and I as much as you want. Our door will always be open," said Michael with a smile.

Rose nodded in agreement. "We'll designate the guest room as your room."

"I can't wait. I am so ready to start college and get my life started. More than anything I think I am ready to get out from under my parents' thumb. They can be relentless sometimes," said Kristina.

Ethan chuckled and said, "You do bring on some of the drama. You like to piss off your parents that is for sure."

Kristina giggled. "I just want a little freedom. Just a little. Dad is the worst. He likes to act like I am 5 years old instead of 18 years old. Dad treats you like an adult, Michael."

"Well, you are a girl," said Michael.

"And?" demanded Kristina.

Rose laughed and said, "You are a girl. They are always going to treat you differently. Fathers are that way with girls."

Johnny chuckled. "It is mostly because they remember what it was like when they were the same age. If you were to ask a man ten times what he was thinking I can guarantee that at least 6 of those times he was thinking about a woman or sex."

Kristina wrinkled her nose. "Gross."

Michael smiled and said, "And that is why Dad doesn't like the idea of you dating. Especially, when it comes to you dating older guys."

"Totally unfair," said Kristina laughing. She looked over at Ethan with a sheepish smile.

Michael caught the look and just shook his head. His sister was always on the brink of some sort of trouble. Sonny was going to flip when he found out that Kristina was dating Ethan.

Everyone laughed and talked as they sat around the large fire. The boys were playing nearby in the sand with their toys.

Rose smiled. "I still can't believe you came all the way down here, Kristina. But I am glad that you are here. It just wouldn't have been the same without you." She hugged Kristina.

"There was no way I was letting my big brother get married without me. Besides, I love this island. I've never seen a place that was more beautiful. This is the ultimate vacation for Spring Break."

Michael laughed. "I picked this spot for slightly different reasons. This place is like home for me. I can't think of a better place to marry, Rose."

Rose said, "Michael and I are going to have to figure out a way to make this up to the younger siblings. I know they are going to be upset that they didn't get to be here. And I've got to stay on Molly's good side."

"Morgan and Molly were both really disappointed that they couldn't come along. They wanted me to sneak them here. But I was taking a big enough risk taking off on my own. I couldn't bring them with me. Besides, I didn't have enough money for them too."

"We'll do something nice for Molly, Morgan, and Xavier. And we will bring back some gifts. I think that will set things straight," Michael said.

"Dad is going to go ballistic when he realizes that you caught a flight here without telling anyone," said Michael.

Ethan looked at Kristina. "Just be sure to tell your father that you did not come with me. Lie and say we were on separate flights. I'd like for my attendance of this wedding not to end in my bloody death."

Michael laughed harder. "Don't worry I will be sure to let Dad know that you were accompanying Johnny...not Kristina. That should cool his blood somewhat. Besides, I think he will be angrier with the fact that I took off and took his jet without asking. Although, eventually he is going to figure out that you are dating his daughter and then all bets are off."

"Do you think they know we are gone by now?" asked Kristina.

"You? Yeah, I am assuming that Alexis won't believe that you've been with Dante all day. Eventually, she is going to call to verify your story and then the cat will be out of the bag."

"Well, it will be worth it. I want some grilled fish. Do you think yours will be as good as Dad's?" asked Kristina.

"I don't know but I am going to try. Dad is the one that taught me how to grill fish on the beach. Every time we came here when I was a kid we'd go fishing out on the boat and then grill whatever we caught for dinner that night," said Michael. He smiled looking at Roman and Nicolas. He was glad that he had the opportunity to carry on that tradition with them.

Johnny spotted figures coming around the house. He stood up and grabbed for the gun in his waistband. "Who knows that we are here?"

"No one except for Sergio, the caretaker. He would call before showing up. Sergio knows the rules. Rose, get the boys," said Michael.

Ethan stood up too and placed himself in front of the women and children.

Rose and Kristina picked up Nicolas and Roman ready to take off running if they needed to make a quick escape.

"Nikolas? Dante?" asked Kristina. She handed Roman to Ethan and then broke through the wall of brooding men. Kristina sprinted across the sand to meet Nikolas, Dante, Brook Lynn, and Lulu. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, the original plan was to take you home before Alexis finds out I gave you $3,000 without asking you what it was for or talking to her first. I know that you want to see Michael get married but your mother is going to lose her temper with the both of us," said Nikolas hugging her.

Kristina offered an impish smile. "She shouldn't be mad at you. You were just being a good cousin. I am sorry for dragging you into the middle of this. But I knew if I told you why I needed the money that you would have turned me down."

"I wouldn't have. I think this is so cute. Well, I am here because I want to see Michael and Rose get married. I have to represent the Quartermaine side of the family and Nikolas was nice enough to come with me," said Brook Lynn with a grin.

Nikolas smiled almost shyly. "Yes, that too."

Brook Lynn frowned seeing Michael's face. She and Nikolas had been at the engagement party the previous night and Michael's face was fine at the time. "Michael, are you okay?" asked Brook Lynn stepping closer to look at her younger cousin's face.

Dante quirked an eyebrow as he took a closer look at Michael's face as well. His eyes then moved to Michael's bruised knuckles. "Did you get into a fight, Michael? What happened last night?"

Michael shook his head. "Nothing happened. Nothing that I want to talk about anyway. Listen, I appreciate that you are concerned, Dante, but I am fine. I am going to marry Rose here and then we will come home later this week. Nikolas, you have my word that I will put Krissy on the first plane back home as soon was Rose and I are married."

Dante said, "I came to bring the five of you home before your parents figured out that you were gone. But I hate to say that I am too late for that. Sonny knew that you were missing, Michael. He called me when I was on the tarmac to ask if Kristina was with me. He wanted to ask her if she knew where you guys were. Sonny is on the way here with your mom."

Michael plopped down onto one of the wicker chairs they'd brought from the Villa. "So much for running off to get married."

Rose walked over to Michael. "It isn't as if they can stop our wedding, Michael. That happens to be one of the glorious perks of being adults. We don't have to leave with them. The worst that Sonny can do is tell us that we can't stay here at the villa. It would be a bummer but wouldn't change our overall goal. But it does mean that Kristina will probably miss the wedding."

Kristina walked over to them. "I am not going anywhere. I am an adult just like the two of you. I might have to put up with the drama when I get home but I am not leaving until I am good and ready. I am so sorry that I brought all of this down on you guys. I shouldn't have come here. Then you wouldn't have so many wedding crashers."

Michael chuckled softly. "You don't have anything to apologize for, Krissy. Rose was right earlier when she said that it wouldn't have been the same without you. I am glad that you came. Although, next time just tell me you are coming and I will buy the ticket for you."

Kristina laughed. "Oh, now you tell me that you could have just bought my ticket." She playfully kicked sand at his feet.

Michael said, "Well, I guess since all of you are here you might as well stick around for dinner. We have more than enough for everyone. I am going to go inside and grab more plates and silverware. Who is staying for dinner?"

"We are!" said Brook Lynn with a smile.

Nikolas chuckled and shook his head. "I guess we are."

Dante looked at Lulu and nodded. "Yeah, we are going to stay for dinner too. I'll help you bring out some more chairs for everyone."

He followed Michael back up to the house. Once they were inside Dante closed the door to give them some privacy.

"So are you going to tell me what happened to your face? I am asking as your brother...not as a cop. I don't even have my badge with me."

Michael stopped as he was collecting the plates. "I got into a fight with Jax last night at the Metro Court."

Dante blinked in disbelief. "Jax did that to you?" asked Dante.

"He looks worse," Michael replied with a small self-satisfied smile.

"What happened?" asked Dante.

"Nothing that I want to talk about. It isn't even my business to tell. I didn't like how he was interacting with my mom and I put a stop to it the best way that I knew how. That is the end of the story." Michael wasn't angry he was just being firm.

"Did you come here because Jax is going to press charges?" asked Dante.

"No, I came here because I needed to get away. I am stressed out. I wasn't myself last night. All of the stress has been piling up for awhile. I keep feeling like I have to put out fires for everyone else. I've got so many other things on my plate right now. I just needed a change of pace. And since my probation is finally over I figured we could come here for some rest and relaxation."

Dante said, "If things were getting so bad why didn't you just come to me, Michael. I am your brother. These are the things you are supposed to come to me for help."

Michael shook his head. "I'm not a kid, Dante. I know how to take care of things on my own. And when I felt like I was going too far over the edge I took a step back and tried to put some space between me and my issues. I am not the same damaged kid that came out of prison a year ago. I need to check on the clam bake..." He carried the plates and silverware out onto the beach where everyone was sitting for dinner.

Lulu, Brook Lynn, and Kristina were listening to Rose talk.

Michael chuckled and asked. "What are the four of you talking about?"

Nikolas chuckled. "Rose was just telling the girls the details of this wedding the two of you have planned."

Michael shook his head. "Thanks for making me look like a sap in front of the guys, Rosie." He flashed a smile to let her know that he was only joking.

Dante returned with a couple of extra chairs from the patio.

Rose continued. "Well, we are going to try to get married on the beach. Michael insists that we get married right there." She motioned to a spot not far away from their current position.

"Why there?" asked Lulu wondering why it had to be right there.

"Michael and I have this really great picture that Sonny took of us when we were kids. And we were right here on this beach. Close to those rocks right over there," explained Rose.

Dante asked, "When was this?"

"Dad said that we were about 7 years old when the picture was taken. It took awhile but I finally remembered playing on this beach with Rose. It is funny how you forget some things over the years."

Brook Lynn smiled. "That is so sweet and romantic."

Nikolas chuckled. "Good going, Michael. You are really setting the bar high for the rest of us."

Michael laughed and said, "What can I say? I am a romantic at heart. Besides, Rosie deserves the best."

"Okay, now you are just rubbing it in," Dante said with a smirk.

Michael laughed and started grilling the fish seeing that the clambake was almost done.

"So when is this wedding taking place?" asked Nikolas having a seat.

"If all of our paperwork is in order tomorrow morning we should be able to get married tomorrow night or the next morning. We've already talked to the officiant and he has no problem marrying us as soon as the paperwork is pushed through." Michael had also greased a few palms to make that happen. He was after all his father's son.

Lulu asked, "Rose, do you have a wedding dress?"

"Krissy and I went shopping for dresses this afternoon. When we left Port Charles Michael brought the wedding bands he'd already bought for us. We've got everything we need."

Krissy smirked. "There is a dress code for this wedding. Everyone has to wear white. It is a beach after all. I am in charge of making sure that everyone is in appropriate attire. After all, I'm the maid of honor."

Michael nodded. "And Johnny is my best man."

Kristina walked over and peered over Michael's shoulder watching him grill the fish.

He chuckled and nudged her slightly. "Stop looking over my shoulder. You are breaking my concentration, Krissy."

She grabbed for a piece of fish that look done. "Oh! Hot!"

Michael burst into laughter. "Of course it is hot...you just plucked it off of a fire. And it isn't done so put it back."

"So are you guys staying here tonight?" asked Rose.

"Way to be subtle, baby!" laughed Michael glancing over his shoulder at Rose.

"What? I just wanted to know how many rooms I would need to get ready. There is not a maid here. I will be the one putting fresh sheets on the beds. Besides, in no way am I saying that they aren't welcome. The more the merrier is what I always say," said Rose sticking her tongue out at Michael.

"I will help you get the rooms together if we have extra guests," said Kristina laughing.

Nikolas laughed. "Brook Lynn and I have a suite booked at the hotel so you do not have to worry about preparing a room for us. We will probably head over there to settle in after having dinner."

Lulu smiled and said, "And Nikolas was nice enough to book a suite for Dante and me as well."

"Well, that means no extra work for my lovely bride-to-be," Michael said with a wink in Rose's direction.

Everyone talked and mingled as Michael focused on cooking dinner.

Dante walked over to Johnny and said, "I am surprised to see you here. What are you doing here, Johnny?"

Johnny chuckled and said, "Michael invited me to his wedding. I'm his best man. It isn't as if I could miss this affair."

"Michael hasn't been off probation for a week yet and you are already circling like a hungry shark," said Dante.

"Shark? I'd have to say out of the two of us… I am the one that has caused Michael the least amount of pain. Don't forget you are the reason your brother went to prison and has a felony conviction on his record. You just had to save your Daddy."

Dante said, "I did what was right so that Michael would learn to respect the law. I wanted him to know that he could trust the law."

"Instead he learned that the law is unfair and unevenly applied. He learned that an irritated judge can send you to prison for a crime that was obviously self-defense and defense of others. He learned that your badge is more important than any family loyalty. I'd say you did a bang up job, Dante. Really," said Johnny sarcastically.

"If you care anything about Michael you will leave him alone. Nothing good can come out of him having any sort of relationship with you."

"It is funny. You turned Michael in so that he'd stay away from a life of crime. But by putting a felony on his record you've changed his life forever. Whatever happens, Dante, know that you did this," said Johnny with a smile.

Lulu walked over seeing the tension radiating between the two men. "Hey, Johnny. What's going on?" asked Lulu in a cheerful voice.

"Hi, Lulu." Johnny smiled and walked off. He joined Michael and Ethan around the fire.

Michael called out, "Dinner is ready everyone! Grab a paper plate and dig in."

* * *

Later that night the house was in complete silence. Nikolas, Brook Lynn, Dante, and Lulu had gone to their hotel hours earlier. Johnny and Ethan had gotten drunk before turning in for the night. Kristina, Michael, and Rose had been the last people to go to bed for the night but even they had gone to bed hours ago.

Michael was sound asleep in the bed with his arm protectively around Rose's body. He was stirred from his sleep hearing one of the boys crying from the next room. Michael climbed out of the bed wearing a pair a slate gray pajama bottoms and a black tank top. He quietly made his way next door and picked up Nicolas before he woke up his brother. "What's the matter little guy? It is scary being somewhere new, huh?"

Michael walked out of the room and quietly paced the floor with Nicolas hoping to settle him down enough so that he would go back to sleep. He started to hum to Nicolas to soothe the little boy. Out of nowhere Michael heard a crashing sound in the front of the house. He glanced down the hallway and saw that all of the bedroom doors were closed except for the boys' room which meant everyone else was probably still asleep.

He swiftly walked back down the hallway and lifted Roman out of his bed. Michael carried both boys into his room and put them in bed with Rose. "Stay here with mommy, buddy," whispered Michael to Nicolas. He went to the closet and felt around for his father's safe. Michael put in the combination and retrieved one of Sonny's guns. He closed the safe back and took off down the hall to check out the sounds he heard.

Michael slowly rounded the corner with his gun drawn. He aimed with one hand and flipped on the living room lights with his other hand.

Carly gasped seeing Michael standing there with a gun. "Michael!"

Alexis let out a quiet shriek. "Michael!" she put a protective arm around a very sleepy Molly.

Michael put the safety back on the gun and lowered it. "You've got to be kidding me? I didn't think you guys would get here so quickly."

"What are you doing with a gun?" asked Carly angrily. It was unnerving to see Michael so comfortable with a firearm in his hand.

"I heard unidentified noises in a house where everyone else is sleeping. I thought someone was breaking into the house. I got Dad's gun from the safe in the bedroom," said Michael.

Sonny said, "He does have a point, Carly." He walked over and took the gun from his son. "We would have been here sooner but we had a layover because of a weather system that was coming through Florida. Michael, we really need to talk to you about what happened."

Michael shook his head. "I am too tired to talk about anything. I didn't get any sleep last night. I would like to get at least a couple of hours tonight. Can we please talk in the morning?"

Sonny nodded. "Sure, Son. We can talk about things in the morning."

"Is Kristina okay?" asked Alexis.

"Krissy is fine. She is asleep. We all went to bed hours ago. I guess all of you are staying here...the five rooms on this side of the house are taken," said Michael. "You guys will have to take the rooms on the other side of the house."

Molly walked over and hugged Michael. "Night, Michael."

Morgan hugged Michael too. "Maybe we can go fishing tomorrow?"

Michael chuckled. "Sure, buddy. And we can have grilled fish for breakfast. I cooked some tonight out on the beach. Good night you two." He watched the two of them amble down the hallway with Alexis close behind.

Sonny paused a moment. "All five rooms on that end of the house are taken? Why?"

Michael said, "I invited a couple of guests. Johnny and Ethan are here."

Sonny opened his mouth to say something but decided he was far too tired for an argument. "I'll see you in the morning, Michael."

Carly hugged Michael the best she could with Josslyn in her arms. "Please, don't ever run off again, please. I seriously do not think that my heart can take it."

"We'll talk in the morning. I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad."

"We love you too, Michael. More than you could ever know," said Carly.

"I know, Mom."

He walked over to the door and made sure that is was locked. He reset the alarm system and went back down the hall to his bedroom. Michael smiled when he saw that Nicolas, Roman, and Rose were all fast asleep in the bed. The boys had spread out and were taking up his side of the bed. Michael grabbed a pillow from the bed and laid on the chaise lounge that was across the room.


	18. Chapter 18

Rose stood in the kitchen working on breakfast. Nicolas and Roman were playing in the living room where Rose could keep an eye on them. She was in the process of cutting up a myriad of fruit for a fruit salad. "I am so sorry that you had to sleep on the chaise last night. You looked so uncomfortable this morning when I woke up."

Michael worked on making waffles and laughed. "It is no big deal, Rose. The boys looked too peaceful for me to move them when I made it back to the bedroom. Besides, I was worried that one or both of them would wake up if I moved them. And at that point I just wanted to get some sleep. I still can't believe my family showed up here last night. When we went to bed I figured it was so late that they wouldn't fly in until morning."

"I guess they were highly motivated. They are probably going to want to talk after breakfast. But after the talk we seriously need to meet with the clerk to see if he's processed our paperwork. I want to get married before we get any more surprises," Rose said with a half-smile. She moved around the kitchen checking on the various items that they had cooking.

Kristina wandered into the kitchen tiredly. She headed straight for the coffee pot and poured herself a cup.

Michael chuckled watching Kristina. "It is better not to speak to Krissy until after she has had her morning cup of coffee. Dad and your mom are here by the way."

Kristina nearly spit out her coffee. "Where are they?"

Michael laughed hard at Kristina's reaction to the news. "They are still in bed. They got in late last night with my mom. On the upside they brought Morgan, Molly, and Joss with them."

"I'll be back," said Kristina. She took off down the hall with her cup of coffee in tow.

Michael watched Kristina curiously. 'What was that about?"

Rose had an inkling but just offered a smile. "I am going to go check on Kristina. Do you think you can handle looking after breakfast on your own?" Rose dried her hands on the apron she was wearing.

"Sure," said Michael.

Rose took off down the hall after Kristina. She walked into the room Kristina was supposed to have slept in last night. Rose leaned against the door frame and watched Kristina tearing about the bedroom to make it looked slept in. "Looks like somebody didn't sleep in their own bed last night," said Rose chuckling softly.

Kristina sighed a little and chewed her lip nervously. "Was I that obvious?"

"To me? Yes. As soon as you ran out of the kitchen I had an idea of why. I can't say the same for Michael he seemed concerned and a little confused. Are you trying to get Ethan killed? Because I don't know how well Michael would take the news that the two of you were having sex down the hall from where he sleeps," said Rose.

"We didn't have sex last night. Nothing happened. We've never done that actually."

"Well, how did you end up in Ethan's bed last night?" asked Rose.

"I decided to check on Ethan before I went to bed. I mean he was pretty wasted when I helped him inside. Anyway, he was awake when I went into his room. So, we just ended up talking for awhile. We were trying to figure out what we were going to do when August comes around and I have to leave for Yale," said Kristina.

Rose walked over and had a seat on Kristina's bed.

"I offered not to go to Yale." Kristina was quiet for a minute. She looked to Rose for a reaction.

"Okay, I'll ask again. Are you trying to get Ethan killed? Because that is what will happen if you skip out on Yale to shack up with Ethan. Both of your parents will go berserk and for good reason. What did Ethan say about that?"

"That is what Ethan said. He wants me to go to college. He's really happy for me. And Ethan said that we could just date long distance. He'd come to visit me when he has the chance and of course I'll go to Port Charles every once in awhile. But I'm scared. Our relationship is new and being apart for so long...not to mention that he is older than me. What happens if he starts hanging out with a woman his age? A woman that is ready to have a sexual relationship?"

"If he cheats on you then he is a jerk and you deserve better. I understand why you are scared. Long-distance relationships are hard. Michael and I didn't like the idea of being away from one another either," said Rose.

Kristina smirked and asked, "So you are saying I should marry Ethan?"

Rose laughed heartily. "That is not what I am trying to say! Long distance relationships are hard and it will test how dedicated the two of you are to this relationship. But if you two are really meant to be...you will find a way to make it work."

"Well, I think that we have found a way to make it work. You know I've been helping Ethan decorate his post-Maya apartment," said Kristina.

Rose was almost positive that she didn't like where this was going. "Yes, you have been spending a lot of time at Ethan's apartment. I've covered for you a couple of times with Alexis. What's going on, Krissy?"

"Ethan and I talked about it and we are going to move in together over the summer. Please don't say anything to Michael about me sleeping in Ethan's bed last night or the whole moving in thing," said Kristina.

Rose shook her head. "I am not going to say a word to your brother about this, Krissy. Your secret is safe with me. But if I were you...I would try to get Michael on board with this sooner rather than later. He is going to be your only ally in this situation. Michael figured out that you were dating Ethan. It will only be a matter of time before Sonny and Alexis figure it out too."

Kristina had a seat next to Rose and said, "Michael is not going to be okay with this. I am his kid sister and the last thing he wants is for me to hook up with a guy in the mob. Let alone move in with him. I don't have the energy to fight Michael and my parents."

Kristina fell silent for a minute and then perked up as if something had just occurred to her. "You could talk to Michael about this...couldn't you?"

"Oh, no. I am not getting in the middle of this. This is something you need to talk to your brother about on your own. And I would do it soon if I were you." Rose stood up and walked toward the door.

Kristina said, "Rose, I really need your help. I can't fight this war on two fronts. Please, I mean you are going to be my sister now and this is what sisters do for one another. I would be there for you if you ever needed my help with anything."

Rose groaned a little. "You really just pulled the sister card on me? Fine...I will talk to Michael about you and Ethan. But you have to seriously try to keep a lid on things until after we leave the island. This is the perfect location for Sonny to make Ethan go missing. So, if I were you I would get a shower because you smell like Ethan's cologne."

Kristina grinned. "Thanks, Rose."

"Uh huh." Rose chuckled.

Kristina said, "Rose, I sort of need one more favor…"

Rose quirked an eyebrow at Kristina and said, "Sure, you can ask me anything, Kristina. So, what's going on?"

"How did you know that you were ready to have sex?" asked Kristina.

Rose closed the bedroom door and walked back over to Kristina's bed. She had a seat next to her as she considered her answer. "Uh, wow. I was not expecting that question. Well, I guess the best answer is that I obviously wasn't ready for a sexual relationship when I lost my virginity. I made a decision to keep a boyfriend that really wasn't worth keeping. It wasn't the right time or the right person."

"No, I don't mean then. I mean now with Michael. Not that I want details about you and my brother because that would be extra months of therapy for me. But how did you know that having sex was the right thing? I mean after everything you've been through…how did you know that the time and the person was right?" asked Kristina.

"I knew that I loved Michael. And I believed Michael when he told me that he loved me. Not because he said it but because I could feel it. I felt loved and safe when I was with him. I'd never experienced that with another guy," said Rose.

"Okay, how did you know that it was the right time?" asked Kristina.

Rose looked thoughtfully for a moment. "You are killing me here. I am telling you something that no one else knows. Michael and I decided when the time was right. I can't tell you when will be right for you. But it is something you need think through. It isn't something that you can take back after you've done it. Don't rush it."

Kristina nodded slightly. "Thank you, Rose."

She smiled. "You are welcome, Krissy." Rose walked back into the kitchen. She resumed cooking to help take some of the pressure off of Michael.

"Everything okay?" asked Michael.

"Sure, everything is fine. I just wanted to check on Kristina is all," said Rose with a smile. "This sausage is done. We can put it in one of the warming trays."

Michael did what Rose asked. "You mean other than the fact that Kristina didn't sleep in her own room last night?"

"How did you know that?" asked Rose.

He chuckled slightly. "I know my sister. I stopped by her room last night to see if she needed anything before we went to bed. She wasn't in her room. I only needed one guess to figure out where she was."

Michael knew Kristina better than she gave him credit for. There wasn't much that was going to get by him when it came to Krissy. Which was good because the girl had the uncanny ability to get herself in major trouble. He didn't have any major issues with Kristina dating Ethan. Ethan wouldn't be his top choice for Kristina but Michael knew that overall Ethan was a good guy. And if he wasn't a good guy Michael would make him regret it.

Rose laughed heartily. "I am so glad that I didn't have to tell you that myself. I was not looking forward to that particular conversation."

"I can't believe you let Kristina rope you into telling me for her," Michael said shaking his head.

"She is very convincing or manipulative. I am not sure which one really applies in this situation."

"Kristina tends to be a little bit of both. She is a Corinthos after all," Michael added with a smirk.

"Well, that isn't all Kristina wanted me to talk to you about, Michael," said Rose.

Michael stopped moving around the kitchen and turned his attention to Rose. "What's going on?"

Rose lowered her voice. "Kristina and Ethan are planning to move in with one another over the summer. She really wants you to support her in this."

"What?" yelled Michael.

Rose looked around and admonished Michael, "Keep your voice down! Someone might hear you."

Michael frowned and lowered his voice. "Kristina and Ethan are going to move in together when?"

"I am assuming after graduation. I know that you aren't thrilled at the idea, Michael, but Kristina is in love with him. They only have a couple of months together before she leaves for Yale. She wants to make the best of that time," said Rose.

Michael fell silent as he processed the information. "What does she need from me?"

"Sonny and Alexis are going to lose their minds when Kristina breaks the news. She just wants to know that her big brother is going to stand up for her. She wants to know that you are going to support her decision. No one else is going to support her. You know that," said Rose.

He shook his head.

Rose walked over to Michael and kissed him. "Kristina has been supportive of our relationship from the very beginning. She skipped town to come to our wedding, Michael. She just wants you to believe in her relationship as much as she believes in yours. You'd do anything for your family because you love them. That is why I fell in love with you. I know you'll do the right thing, Michael."

"Talk about manipulative," said Michael quirking an eyebrow at Rose as he sighed in defeat. "I think you'll make a great Corinthos."

"Thank you. Speaking of being a Corinthos...are you ready for this talk we are going to have with your parents? Did they seem pissed off last night?" asked Rose.

Michael shook his head. "They seemed relieved more than anything else. But that was last night when they were exhausted from a long flight and an unexpected layover. There is no telling what sort of mood they will be in today. In the end it doesn't really matter. If they are angry then they are angry. There isn't much I can do to change that and I still intend to marry you before we go back to Port Charles. They can either be a part of that or not."

Rose giggled and said, "Oh, I love it when you go all assertive and confident. Well, I will follow your lead on how we deal with your parents. They are your parents after all. I am just glad that my parents didn't follow suit. What are we going to do about Johnny and your dad?"

"I talked to Johnny while you were getting a shower earlier. I told him that Dad was here. I wanted to give him time to get out of here if he didn't want to face him. But Johnny just turned back over and said he'd see me in an hour. I guess he doesn't figure that running makes much sense. Eventually we will all land back in Port Charles," said Michael.

Carly walked into the living room with Josslyn and set her on the floor to play with Nicolas and Roman. She walked into the kitchen and said, "Good morning."

Michael hugged Carly and said, "Morning, Mom. Do you want coffee or anything?"

"Good morning, Carly," said Rose.

Carly said, "I could definitely use a cup of coffee. Everything smells so good. What all are you guys making?"

Michael poured Carly a cup of coffee and fixed it the way she liked it. He handed it to Carly and said, "We are making sausage, hash browns, waffles, and a fruit salad. Oh and Rose has an egg breakfast casserole baking in the oven. And there is left over grilled fish from last night."

"Wow, it seems like the two of you have really outdone yourselves. Is there anything that I can do to help out with breakfast?" asked Carly taking a sip of the coffee.

Rose smiled. "No, I think that we have everything under control."

Carly chuckled and said, "I see Michael have warned you about my cooking skills."

"I might have mentioned it once or twice," said Michael with a smile.

Sonny walked into the kitchen with Morgan and Molly following him. "Good morning, everyone." He looked around and then asked, "Where is Kristina?"

Sonny walked over to the breakfast bar and poured a cup of coffee. He had been working over what he would say to his son for the last hour. And yet nothing he came up with seemed to fit what he was feeling.

Rose said, "She's getting a shower. She should be out here soon."

Molly hugged Rose. "Hi!"

Rose laughed and said, "Hi, I am so glad that you and Morgan are here with us. Breakfast is almost ready. Why don't all of you go out on the patio and have a seat?"

Sonny nodded and said, "That sounds like a good idea. We'll take the little ones with us."

Morgan and Molly volunteered. "We'll get them."

Molly went into the living room and picked up Josslyn before following Carly and Sonny out onto the patio.

Morgan took Nicolas and Roman's hands and walked with them to the table outside.

Rose chuckled watching the boys walk outside with Morgan. "Thank you, Morgan."

Alexis walked into the kitchen.

Michael said, "Everyone is out on the patio waiting for breakfast to be served. And there is coffee if you are interested."

"Thank you." Alexis gratefully poured a cup of coffee and joined everyone else outside.

Kristina walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later dressed in a pair of shorts and a halter top. "Do you guys need me to do anything?"

Michael said, "Sure, you can set the table out on the patio for us. By the way..."

Michael walked over to the patio doors and closed them. "You can date whoever you want to as long as he treats you with respect. And if you want to move in with Ethan I will support you. But you are young and Ethan is older than you. I just don't want to see you get hurt if this doesn't work out. I've got your back when you finally decide to tell Alexis and Dad. Next time...just know that you don't have to hide anything from me. I am always going to take your side, Krissy."

Kristina squealed and hugged Michael. "Thank you for supporting me, Michael."

"I always will, Krissy," said Michael. He nodded to the stack of clean dishes and silverware on the counter.

Kristina picked up the dishes and silverware and carried them outside to the table.

Alexis stood up as soon as Kristina walked out of the house. "Kristina, what were you thinking? I can't believe you took off like that," said Alexis.

Kristina said, "I couldn't let Michael get married without me being here." She started setting the table. "Besides, whether you and Dad like it or not. I start college in a couple of months. I get to take off whenever I like as long as I can figure out a way to pay for it."

"That is not the point, Kristina. It is irresponsible and dangerous. You still live with me so there are certain rules that you just have to follow," said Alexis trying to keep her voice even.

"I don't have to live with you," snapped Kristina.

Sonny saw that this train was about to go off track quickly. "Maybe we could save this conversation until after everyone has eaten breakfast."

Alexis' face was tight but she nodded at Sonny.

Kristina finished setting the table and walked back into the kitchen feeling her temper flare.

Ethan walked over to Kristina seeing how upset she looked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am fine. My parents are just outside," said Kristina.

"Great," said Ethan with fake enthusiasm. He was hung over and in no condition to wage war with Sonny and Alexis. He put a comforting arm around Kristina.

Michael chuckled and looked up seeing Johnny. "You are just in time. We were just about to start serving breakfast."

Rose asked, "Krissy, can you help me carry some of this stuff to the table? I don't have nearly enough hands to carry all of this out there. We might have gone a little overboard with all of the food."

Kristina nodded. "Sure, I can do that. Ethan can you help out too?" She grabbed the pitchers of water, milk, and orange juice and carried them out to the table.

Ethan picked up a couple of trays of the hot food and carried them out to the table. He didn't relish the look he got from Sonny when he walked out onto the patio. Ethan didn't know if the older man suspected his involvement with Kristina or if he was angry because of Ethan's business relationship with Johnny.

Kristina helped him make room on the granite bar for the food. She had a seat at the table and Ethan had a seat right next to her.

Johnny took two of the trays from Rose and said, "Let me help you with those."

Rose and Michael carried out the last of the items they needed for breakfast. She smiled seeing that Molly and Morgan were seated at the smaller umbrella table with Nicolas and Roman. All of the adults were seated at the longer table. Josslyn was safely seated in her mother's lap.

Everyone went through the makeshift buffet line and the adults fixed plates for and little ones.

Michael had a seat at the opposite end of the table from Sonny. Rose was seated to his right and Johnny was seated to his left.

Alexis was seated next to Johnny.

Sonny had Carly to his right and Kristina to his left.

Everyone settled into an uncomfortable silence as the meal got started.

Sonny was the first to break the tense silence. "Rose, I spoke to your parents last night after we made it here. Your father wants you to know that he and your mother will be flying in this afternoon with your siblings."

Rose nearly dropped her fork and glanced at Michael.

Michael reached over and put a comforting hand on Rose's leg. He chuckled in disbelief and said, "None of you are clear on what space means. At this rate we might as well have just gotten married in Port Charles."

Michael directed his gaze to Kristina. "And don't get me wrong I am not talking about our brothers and sisters. We love all of them and were disappointed that they wouldn't be able to take part in our wedding."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Exactly, I am glad that Kristina, Molly, Morgan, and Josslyn are here. And I am happy that my brothers will be here for the wedding too...but..."

Carly asked, "But what?" She felt her heartbreaking a little looking at the expression on her son's face.

Alexis said, "I think it might be a good idea for me to take the younger kids inside. I am not sure this conversation is right for little ears."

Sonny nodded, "That is a good idea, Alexis."

Alexis collected the younger children and took them inside to eat breakfast.

"Mom, you can't honestly tell me that you don't understand why we wanted to get away? You and Brenda got into an argument at the party after I asked you not to. And then top it off you dropped that bombshell on Jax? We left our own engagement party early because I couldn't handle it. All of you come with too much baggage."

"That goes for my parents too. They got into a fight a few minutes after Michael and I arrived at our party. And I heard how they got into a knock down drag out fight when they got home. It is like the four of you are incapable of letting anything be about us. That doesn't mean that we don't love you guys, because we do. But our wedding should be about us. Not about whatever bad decisions our parents have made lately," said Rose.

"We still planned on having a wedding for both families. Rose and I just wanted to have a quiet wedding here. We wanted to do something that would make us happy. This wasn't about hurting any of you or shutting you out of our lives."

Sonny said, "And we aren't here to tell you not to get married, Michael. We are here to apologize for how everything turned out last night. I know we haven't always done right by you, Michael. But your mother and I love you and we just want to make this right. The last thing we want to do is miss out on the most important day of your life because you feel like you can't depend on us."

Michael eyes' widened in surprise. He didn't know what to think about that. Michael had been prepared for a fight instead his parents were surrendering in defeat.

"Son, we love you and we love Rose. The last thing we want to do is alienate the two of you from our lives. Rose, I know that your parents feel the same way. I am sorry that we ruined your party. I don't know what to say other than parents are human too and we make mistakes."

"And as you raise those two boys you will see how easy it is to make mistakes. But that can never change how much you love them," Carly said in a sincere voice.

Michael softened a little. He always hated seeing his mother in pain. "I know that you love me, Mom. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for you and Dad. I just need the two of you to promise that if you stick around for the wedding that there will be no fighting. Brenda and Jax aren't here to stir anything up. There are no outside influences. So if a fight breaks out..."

"We will be solely at fault," responded Sonny. "You have my word that it will not happen."

Rose gave a relieved smile. She wanted to believe Sonny and Carly. Rose could only hope that her parents could manage the same arrangement. She really didn't know how much fighting Michael could stand.

While everyone was eating breakfast in relative silence Jason walked out of the house.

Michael quirked and eyebrow. "Jason?" He should have known better to think that Sonny would have left Jason behind in Port Charles. They normally turned to Jason when they wanted to talk some sense into Michael. He stood up hugging Jason. "It is a regular family affair I see."

Jason said, "I am sorry about all of this, Michael."

"It is okay. I should be used to all of this by now. Have a seat. There is plenty to eat if you are hungry," said Michael.

Jason made his way over to the buffet line and fixed a plate for himself. He looked to Sonny and said, "Sorry that I am late. Sam was having morning sickness and decided against coming over for breakfast."

Carly ate in silence for a few minutes before asking, "Would anyone like to explain why Johnny and Ethan are here?"

Michael said, "I invited Johnny to the wedding to be my best man and of course he brought Ethan along. Johnny is a good friend."

Sonny said, "Kristina, maybe you could go inside for awhile."

Michael said, "There is no need. Kristina knows what is going on. I don't have anything to hide."

"Well, it seems like everyone here knows what is going on. Why don't you tell me, Michael?" asked Sonny.

Johnny glanced at Michael wondering if he'd have the courage to come clean in such a public way.

Michael set his fork down and said, "I've decided to start working for Johnny. This doesn't change any of my other plans. I am still going to go to college in the fall. And I am going to continue to intern at ELQ."

Sonny had known the truth but it still was hard to hear from his own son's mouth. Not only was Michael defying him by getting involved with the mob against his wishes but to make matters worse he was teaming up with a man that Sonny considered to be his sworn enemy. The smug look of satisfaction on Johnny Zacchara's face did nothing to cool Sonny's boiling blood.

Carly was so stunned that she couldn't find the words to say anything to Michael. She looked at Sonny desperately hoping that he had a plan to change their son's mind.

Jason cleared his throat and said, "Perhaps we could get some privacy. Maybe we can all come to some sort of agreement." Jason had known that it would come down to this from the moment he realized that Johnny and Michael were spending time together. Sonny had just been unwilling to face the facts. He believed that he could maneuver Michael into accepting his decision. However, Jason had spent time learning the way his nephew thought.

Michael nodded and said, "Rose...Krissy..."

Rose stood up from the table and kissed Michael's cheek. She whispered in his ear. "Hold your ground, baby."

Kristina frowned but got up leaving the table as well. She glanced back at Ethan momentarily feeling ill at ease leaving him out there with Sonny.

Jason glanced at Carly and said, "Carly, please..."

"I am not leaving, Jason. He is my son," Carly said in a heated voice. She looked at Sonny for support but found none. Carly pushed back from the table angrily and stormed into the house.

Michael looked between Sonny and Jason. "I am doing what I need to do to get what I want. Johnny offered me a job when the two you shut me out of the Corinthos organization. I understand now that you are never going to let me work for you. This is the next best thing. Johnny is a friend and he has a lot to teach me."

Johnny said, "I am going to have Michael running numbers and managing my club. It is all safe and low-key stuff. I am not trying to start a war here, Sonny. I am just giving Michael a chance in this business. I know how it feels to have a father dictate my every move."

"I made it clear to Johnny that under no circumstances will I ever go against my family. You and Jason will always have my love and loyalty. I just hope you the two of you can understand that. Because this is happening," said Michael.

The glare on Sonny's face was unmistakable. If there weren't so many witnesses he would have leaped across the table and killed Johnny with his bare hands.

"I love you both with all of my heart. You two have done so much for me and have taught me so much. I've had the best father and uncle that any kid could ask for. My family means more to me than anything in this world. But I am also part of Johnny's family now. And that means something to me too. I will be loyal." Michael leaned in and lowered his voice. "And so that we are clear...if anything happens to Johnny and he's still keeping to the truce...I will walk away from this family."

Johnny's jaw fell slack. He hadn't expected Michael to come out of the gate so bold. Johnny didn't know if Michael had the courage to keep to his word but it was one hell of a threat. One that would certainly make Sonny and Jason think twice about killing Johnny.

"Don't make me have to prove to you how serious I am," said Michael.

Sonny said, "You can't think that I am just going to let you do this..."

"You don't really have a choice, Dad," said Michael.

Sonny stood up from the table angrily. He took a step away from the table because he wanted to strangle Johnny with his bare hands.

Jason stood up as well and walked away from the table with Sonny to talk.

* * *

Rose was in the kitchen washing the pots and pans they'd used to cook breakfast. She had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Rose was worried about how Michael's talk to Sonny and Jason was going.

Carly walked into the kitchen carrying the children's now empty plates. "I can load the dishwasher for you."

Rose said, "Thank you, Carly."

The two women worked in silence for a few minutes before Carly said, "I cannot believe that you support this decision that Michael is making. He is throwing away his future and yours. You are a smart girl. I can't understand why you'd be so foolish. You and Michael are risking everything. He could go back to prison or worse. He could end up dead. It is a miracle that Sonny and Jason have both survived as long as they have. Michael could go anywhere and be anything. He can have a normal life…both of you can."

Rose turned off the water in the sink and dried her hands. "I understand how it feels to not fit in anywhere else but the world you were raised in. This is all I know. This is normal to me. And it is normal to Michael. We aren't your average teenagers. We've both seen and been through too much for that to ever be an option. No matter where I go I will always be Cesar Marino's granddaughter. And I will always be Constantino Marino's niece."

"You two are young enough to change. Your families don't have to dictate the path you take," said Carly.

"I could pledge today to stay clear of the shady side of my family tree. But it wouldn't matter because as soon as people found out who raised me...they would still look at me the same way. I am not ashamed of who I am. I am not afraid of what this life has to offer and neither is Michael. When Michael and I met during lunch that day at Madison. We talked for maybe 15 minutes before we both knew exactly who we were. And we realized that neither of us were afraid of what was lurking beneath the surface. Michael is a square peg and you are trying to force him into a round hole. It isn't going to work."

"I want Michael to be happy. But I also want him to be safe. And the safest place he can be is away from Sonny's business. You both have such limited views. You only see what is in front of you. But there is a whole world out there and the possibilities are endless. You are both graduating from a premier private school. Michael and you are attending a prestigious university. There are doors open for the two of you that I could have never imagined at your age," said Carly.

"Michael isn't doing this to hurt anyone. All he wants is to make his dreams come true. We know the options. We aren't stupid or naive. But we want something different than what you guys have dreamed up for us. I will support Michael til the bitter end. He deserves happiness. Michael has sacrificed so much and given up so many things because of this business. He lived this life without any choice. And now that he wants to choose...now you guys say he can't be a part of it. He's an adult he gets to make his own decisions now."

"Adult! Adult! Adult! That is all that I keep hearing, but being an adult is about more than making reckless decisions. Being an adult is about being smart and knowing that sometimes the right decision is doing something that you don't want to do! A life of crime is no way to live. I nearly lost my son twice. Once to bullet in the head and once again to prison. How am I supposed to sit around and watch him risk his life? And you…I trusted you to be good for my son. But the entire time you've been encouraging him to make this foolish decision! Sonny told me to give you a chance and this is what you do!"

"Are you seriously blaming Michael's decision on me? Carly, you have to know your son better than that."

Carly glared at Rose. "I know my son!"

"Do you?" asked Rose.

"He is my son! I raised him. I know everything there is to know about that little boy. And I am not about to watch him throw his life away. Don't try to tell me about my son. You hardly know him which is why I wasn't in favor of this marriage initially. But I went along with it because I thought it had at least pulled Michael's focus away from the mob," said Carly.

"You are so far around the bend you can't even see that you've made a wrong turn. Michael is not a little boy anymore and he hasn't been for a long time. I am not saying that you don't know Michael. But what I am saying is that there is so much more to him that you don't even see. That you can't see or that Michael won't let you see. I know that I've only known Michael for nine months. But in those months I have fallen in love with him. And I am so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with him. We share things about ourselves with each other that we'd never breathe to another person. I want a life with Michael. I want a family with Michael. He's my future," said Rose.

Carly sighed realizing how much Rose truly did love her son. "Then you should damn well want him to have a better life. You've seen what prices are paid for being in the mob. The future that you want with him might be cut short because the two of you are enamored with the mob. You both have no idea the hell you are signing yourselves up for."

"Enamored? I am nervous, Carly. I watched my father nearly bleed out in front of me. I sat at my brother's bedside when he was shot twice in the stomach. I have had to go into hiding because someone threatened to kidnap me to force my grandfather's hand in a territory dispute. I was seven years old. I know exactly the hell that I am walking into and it scares me," said Rose.

Carly walked closer to Rose and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Michael loves you. I can see it when he looks at you or talks about you. You…you are more important to him than the mob. If you tell him how scared you are he will walk away from this. He will…"

Rose shook her head. "I am not going to manipulate Michael into giving up his dreams because I am a little scared. The truth is…danger is a part of our lives. Whether Michael is in or out we are targets for anyone looking for leverage against Sonny, Jason, or Uncle Constantino. And as scary as this is…at least it is something that I understand. I know how this works. I am going to support Michael 100% because he is going to be my husband and I want him to have this life. And the best part is that Michael has no intention of shutting me out of the business. He intends to tell me everything. That is the only way this works in a marriage. There can't be secrets. I will be Michael's partner in every sense of the word."

Carly stood there with her mouth agape for a moment.

"I am supporting the man that I love. I'd do anything for Michael...you have to understand that?"

"I do. I have done anything and everything for Sonny and Jason because I love them. But it hasn't been easy and it hasn't always worked out. I fear that you and Michael are going to find that out...the hard way," said Carly walking out of the kitchen without another word.

* * *

Rose sat on the veranda watching the sunset. Today had been one emotional roller coaster for her and Michael. The heavy conversations with Michael's parents had been followed up by equally heavy conversations with her own parents. The end result: no one was satisfied, everyone had hurt feelings, and Rose and Michael felt guilty for hurting their parents.

That night Rose and Michael had hosted an awkward dinner for everyone that flew in for their wedding. The BBQ was delicious and everyone had appeared friendly enough but the underlying tension couldn't be broken. Rose was starting to think that they needed to run away again.

Michael walked out onto the veranda and rested his hands on Rose's shoulders. He kissed the top of her head. "Roman and Nicolas are knocked out. I think they had way too much fun today. The older kids ran them ragged. I am sorry that everything is in ruins, Rose. I shouldn't have told Kristina the truth about why we were here. I set the wheels in motion by doing that."

Rose lightly kissed one of the hands resting on her shoulders. "You didn't do this, Michael. Let's be honest...we were crazy to think that we could escape our families. They are like this big machine that wrecks everything in their path. So you either have to get the hell out of the way or be a part of the machine. Face it, we are part of the machine."

"I am not going to let them ruin this for us, Rose. We are getting married tomorrow night at sunset. Nothing and nobody will get in our way. I told Dante to shoot anyone that tries," Michael joked. He walked around and had a seat next to Rose on the wicker loveseat. Michael pulled her into his lap and lovingly wrapped his arms around her.

She chuckled softly. "He'd have to shoot half of the wedding party I think. Besides, everyone is in favor of the wedding. It is you working for Johnny that has lit a fire under everyone."

"Are you regretting your decision to support me?" asked Michael.

Rose shook her head. "Never. I've got your back, Michael. I just didn't realize our perfect ocean side wedding would coincide with our families finding out about the biggest decision we've ever made in our lives."

"And here I thought that the biggest decision we ever made was to get married," said Michael lightly caressing her back.

"No, that wasn't the biggest decision but it was the best. And it is the thing that makes all of this drama worth it. And I guess if I have to be honest I am glad that our parents, brothers, and sisters are here. Maybe them seeing us getting married here in this special place will make them understand that we are going to be okay. This isn't a fluke it is fate," said Rose.

Michael chuckled softly. "What else could it be? Two kids that go 11 years without seeing one another reunite by accident one day thousands of miles away from where they first met. You couldn't write a better love story than that. And I believe that over time...everything else will fall into place. The times are changing and they will have to adapt."

"I don't know if your mother is just going to adapt to all of this, Michael. You should have seen her in the kitchen this morning. She was furious with me. And of course she told me that she didn't want me to marry you in the beginning. Do you think she is going to do something crazy?" asked Rose.

"My mother? Yes, it is possible that she is going to do something crazy to block me from working with Johnny. But I don't see her trying to stop the wedding. She knows that her and Dad are on thin ice with me. She might be afraid of losing me to the mob, but she is more afraid of me walking away from her," said Michael.

"That is comforting, I guess. I just really wanted to get along with your parents. I know how much you love them. I wanted all of us to be one family."

"And we will be, Rose. My mother will come around. She doesn't have any choice. Oh, I have very good news. Dad called Diane earlier and she is drawing up the adoption papers and the name change paperwork for Roman and Nicolas. She is going to fax them to us tomorrow."

Rose's face lit up. "Michael, that is the best news ever. Thank you for making this happen for all four of us."

"I want us to be one family, Rose. I know how important that is to a kid. I want them to know that I am their father. They are Corinthos men," said Michael.

"I couldn't he be happier."

"This is not how I planned this day. I thought we'd be on the beach with the boys during the day and by ourselves at night. But maybe…we can salvage the evening." He leaned in and kissed Rose passionately.

* * *

Jason walked out onto the beach where Johnny was standing looking at the tide come.

Johnny glanced at Jason and asked, "Come to kill me and dump my body in the ocean?"

"Thought about it, but somehow it doesn't seem to be the smart play. Michael wants in and he is going to get in one way or another. If you are trying to use him against us…"

Johnny chuckled dryly. "I am not trying to use Michael in some dastardly plan to bring you and Sonny to your knees. He has suffered enough because of Sonny. I offered him the job because I knew he wanted in. I got close to Michael while Sonny was married to my sister. He's a good kid and deserves a chance. And by the end of the summer he might decide he doesn't even want this anymore. But I am giving him the chance he deserves. In the meantime it helps keep the peace with Sonny and I can teach him everything that I know."

"I am going to talk to Sonny about forming an alliance with you. It is an extra layer of protection for Michael and for all of us really. Anthony is making a lot of noise and he is making the other families very nervous. He is drawing attention to our line of work in a time when we can't afford it. If he continues to make a nuisance of himself…"

Johnny sighed and said, "The other families will take him out and possibly me too. Eliminate the Zacchara problem once and for all. But I am not sure why you are telling me this. I would figure that this would be exactly what you and Sonny want."

Jason said, "Anthony being dead would be great. It makes life easier for everyone involved…including you. You being dead doesn't really gain me anything. And unfortunately, Michael is now working for you and it is my guess that you will have him working close underfoot…much like I was with Sonny when I first started out. The things I learned during that time were priceless, but it also put me at the very top of a lot of people's hit lists."

"I feel like this is going somewhere…speak your mind," said Johnny curiously.

"Anthony needs to die to keep the peace. His death and the dissolution of his splinter crew would help ensure peace between our two organizations and it would keep outsiders from sticking their hands into our business. Sonny and I have kept the other families out of Port Charles for a very long time. I'd like to keep it that way. And whereas I might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Michael. I know that Anthony would order a hit on him just for the hell of it. This plays out in your favor. You get back the territory Anthony took from you. You are the undisputed head of the only Zacchara family. And Sonny is willing to cut you in on our harbor deal," said Jason.

Johnny took a swig of beer from the bottle that was clutched in his hand. There was no love lost between him and his father. In fact, Johnny had wanted the old man dead for as long as he could remember. But at the end of the day, Anthony was his father and he couldn't end his life. "I am not going to kill my father. But if some tragedy should befall him…I wouldn't be looking for reprisals. I might actually find myself indebted to the person that freed me. But I find it hard to believe that Sonny is really going to let me in on the harbor."

Jason said, "Tomorrow, after the wedding, we can all sit down and figure out something that makes all of us happy."

* * *

Michael and Rose had spent the better part of an hour making out on the veranda. He sat back a moment to catch his breath. "Too bad kissing is all we can do tonight."

Rose giggled softly. "It is creepy with a house full of people."

"Yeah, you are right about that. Krissy is right across the hall. That is a whole level of closeness that we just don't need. I can wait another night. But that probably means we are going to have to get a hotel room or something because there is no privacy here."

Rose laughed and buried her face against his chest. "A hotel room sounds wonderful right about now. It might be the only way we get any privacy. I never thought I would say this but we have more privacy at my Dad's house."

"I think we might need to find a place to stay when we get back to Port Charles. Our parents might decide to retaliate to force me into changing my mind about working for Johnny. They could make life very difficult. Right now my dad and Jason are playing nice. But I don't expect that to last for long. They are probably betting on the fact that I am going to give up some time soon," said Michael.

Rose frowned. "Even if the couple accepts our offer on the lake house the real estate agent said that the closing could take a couple of weeks. Do we have a back-up plan if this blows up in our faces?"

Michael nodded and said, "Yeah, we do have a back-up. It isn't ideal but Johnny offered to let us stay with him if things fall apart. I am going to take care of everything, Rose. No matter how this shakes out...you and the boys won't want for anything. You have my word."

"I believe you, Michael. We are going to be okay. We both have trust funds. It isn't as if them cutting us off will really hurt. It will just change how we live life," said Rose.

He kissed her softly. "I am glad that I have you, Rose. I wouldn't want anyone else."


	19. Chapter 19

Rose stood in front of the French doors in their bedroom watching as the sun started to set on the horizon. In a very short time Rose would be walking out onto that beach to marry the man of her dreams, Michael Corinthos III. There had been a point in her life when she wondered if she'd ever be able to trust another guy let alone love one. But somehow without even realizing it Michael had made her love him. He had restored her faith in the possibility of happiness. And strangely enough she had restored his faith too.

For the last couple of hours Rose had struggled to write her own vows. She wanted them to be special and truly express how she felt about becoming Michael's wife. But everything she wrote down seemed to fall short of what she genuinely felt in her heart. And even as she prepared for the most important moment of her life there was fear in the back of her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom.

Perhaps it was the tension that inevitably overshadowed the entire day. No one was thrilled that Michael was joining the mob. Their parents were equally disappointed in them. And the blame game had already began. Theresa blamed Marco's family's influence. Carly blamed Sonny's influence. Marco did little to hide his disdain for Michael's decision. What was supposed to be a happy day was more like a waiting game to see who would be the first to go on a tirade. Rose had been given a small reprieve that afternoon when she accompanied her sisters-in-law, Kristina, Molly, Brook Lynn, and Lulu to a local salon to get their hair and nails done for the wedding.

Rose and Michael had been sequestered away from the beach all day long. Carly and Theresa were going to great lengths to surprise the teenagers with decorating the beach. Rose didn't know what to expect she was only glad that it seemed that their parents were accepting this union whole-heartedly at the moment. She glanced down at her engagement ring in thought.

Kristina walked into the bedroom closing the door behind her. "Rose?" asked Kristina. She was a little concerned for her sister-in-law. Rose had been in the room by herself for a couple of hours.

Rose was so deep in her own thoughts she barely heard Kristina enter the room. She glanced back at Kristina and smiled slightly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is coming along on schedule. Carly and your mom have really outdone themselves. The beach looks beautiful. I think you are going to love it. I can't believe they were able to transform it with less than 24 hour's notice," said Kristina. She took in the strange look on Rose's face.

Rose smiled and said, "I am just glad that they aren't fighting us on getting married. I had my doubts about whether or not they would support Michael and me. You look beautiful by the way. Ethan isn't going to be able to keep his eyes off of you."

Kristina smiled brightly and turned to look at herself in the full length mirror. "You really think so? He's been gone with Johnny and Michael all evening so he hasn't seen me yet." She smoothed her hands over the pristine white linen spaghetti strap dress. The dress was knee length and flared at the bottom.

"I think that you look amazing, Kristina. I wonder what the guys are up to. Michael said that they would only be gone for a couple of hours. I keep worrying that maybe..." Rose trailed off not wanting to make Kristina worry.

"You are worried that my dad did something stupid out of anger and possibly hurt them?" asked Kristina with a knowing look.

Rose laughed slightly but nodded her head at Kristina. She knew how hot Sonny's temper ran and she also knew that the man wasn't going to just quietly accept Michael's decision to work for the enemy.

Kristina smiled. "I can't say that it hasn't crossed my mind with how long they've been gone. But despite the fact that my father nearly killed me by accident he would never purposely put any of his children in danger. There is no way he'd make a move to kill Johnny and Ethan if Michael was with them. The only reason I almost died was because I skipped out on a family dinner and lied to my parents about where I was going to be at the time."

"I am sure that you are right, Krissy. I guess I just keep waiting for something horrible to happen. Silly, huh?" asked Rose.

"Are you feeling nervous about getting married?" Kristina asked curiously.

Rose shook her head and laughed softly. She had a seat on the chaise lounge and said, "Actually, I think that is what has me so worried. I don't feel nervous at all. I thought that I would at least feel butterflies or something. Instead I just feel like I am ready to get married to Michael. But that isn't normal, right? I mean I am about to vow in front of God and my family that I intend to spend the rest of my life with one man. That should make anyone nervous."

Kristina walked over to the chaise and had a seat next to Rose. She looked thoughtful for a moment and replied, "I don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to relationships. Keifer was my first real love and I let him abuse me. Ethan was my second real love and I blamed him for the crimes that Keifer committed. I pretended to be in love with Johnny to get under my dad's skin and that nearly got the both of us killed. And now I am with Ethan but can't tell anyone for fear that my father will make him disappear. But I think that maybe...when you are marrying the right person. And you are sure that you are marrying the right person...well then maybe there is no fear. But then again...what do I know?"

Rose smiled and hugged Kristina. "You know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. I think you might be right. I know in my heart that Michael is the only person that I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Then don't worry about not being nervous. Just focus on the fact that you are starting a brand new chapter of your life. I know one thing for sure. You make my brother happy. So in my book you are good. Oh, Carly wanted me to let you know that she's got the boys out on the beach with her and your mother. They are adorable in their little white shorts and shirts."

"Thanks for passing along the message. I was about to go check on them."

"Oh, Michael told me that you two were going to slip away tonight and stay somewhere else. I just wanted to let you know that I will watch Nicolas and Roman for you guys. That way you don't have to worry about tipping off the parents. I don't doubt that you two can use the privacy."

"Are you serious?' asked Rose with a bright smile.

"Of course I am serious. They are my nephews now. It is time that I spend a little more time with them. Besides, I will have Molly and Morgan to help out."

"Did Michael tell you that he wants to adopt the boys?" asked Rose wondering what Kristina thought of the idea. Michael and Rose had broken the news to her parents that morning. Needless to say Theresa was not thrilled that her grandsons would be taking the last name of an aspiring gangster. Carly and Sonny already knew about their decision and seemed to be on board with it.

She nodded. "Yeah, he told me last night. I think it is a great thing, Rose. My dad has made a lot of questionable decisions but the best one he ever made was adopting Michael. Michael is the best big brother that I could ever hope for. You two thinking about giving Roman and Nicolas siblings anytime soon?"

Rose laughed and said, "Definitely not! But sometime in the future we probably will. For right now we have so many other things to focus on. Not to mention I didn't enjoy being pregnant the last time around. I am in no rush to get pregnant for the second time."

Kristina laughed at Rose's reaction and then glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "You might want to finish getting dressed or you will be late to your own wedding. I am going to go see if my brother has made it back."

She chuckled softly. "You are very right. I need to get dressed. I think the time sort of got away from me." Rose stood up and headed over to the bed where the white linen halter dress was waiting for her. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"You are welcome. What are sisters for?" asked Kristina. She left the bedroom so that Rose could get ready.

Kristina walked down the hallway to the living room and smiled seeing Michael and Johnny sitting on the couch talking. Both men were dressed in white linen pants and white linen button up shirts. She looked around for Ethan.

Johnny noticed Kristina looking around and chuckled. "He's outside with Lulu and Dante. Don't worry...Lulu has tasked your brother with protecting Ethan from Sonny. "

Kristina relaxed visibly and smiled at Michael. "I am glad to see that you made it back safely. You had me and your bride-to-be a little worried. I am going to head outside and see Ethan."

Sonny walked in from off of the beach and frowned seeing Johnny. "I'd like to talk to my son. Leave."

Johnny glanced at Michael.

Michael nodded at Johnny letting him know that it was okay.

Johnny clapped Michael on the back. "I'll see you outside, Michael." He smirked at Sonny and walked out outside to joining the other guests on the beach.

Sonny had a seat next to Michael and said, "I am proud of you for so many reasons, Michael. No matter what life has thrown at you...you have risen to the occasion and came out even stronger. I am proud of the man you have grown up to be. But more than that I am happy that you have not allowed my dysfunctional relationship with your mother to scare you off from love and happiness. I trust you to make the right decisions in your life and I can only hope that working with Johnny will make you realize that the mob isn't the life you want to lead. You have to be smart, Michael. This isn't just about you and what you want anymore. After you walk out of those doors and marry Rose you are going to be responsible for her and those two boys. The choices you make today will change their lives forever. Just like the choices that Jason, Carly, and I made changed your life forever. The choices we made for you ended up causing you so much pain. More pain than any of us could have ever imagined."

Michael looked at his father and asked, "What part would you take back, Dad? Adopting me?"

"No, I love you, Michael. And I feel lucky everyday that I get to call you my son. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't know that I made the right choice. But this life wasn't meant for children. This life isn't meant for families. No matter how much you try to insulate the ones you love from danger it is always lurking around the corner. I lied to myself and Carly when I promised that my life would never touch yours. I was already the head of the family by the time you and Carly came into my life. This life is the only thing I knew. You don't have to make the same choices that I did. You can protect your family from the violence and pain that I exposed you and your siblings to. Your mother, Jason, and I have worked very hard to make sure that you had every advantage in life. We wanted you to be able to be better than us. To be different than us," said Sonny trying to get through to his son.

"This life is the only one that I know! I don't understand why you can't see that. This mentality is more ingrained into me than it is even in you. You fell into the mob at 16 when you met Scully. This life is the only one that I've ever known. It is the only one that makes sense to me. From the time I was a little kid I knew what you did and I knew that you were the person I wanted to be like. All I can do is try to keep my family safe and Rose knows that. She is going into the marriage eyes wide open. And let's be honest...even if I were to go straight and become some half-brained CEO...my family wouldn't really be any safer unless Rose and I both decided to cut our families out of our lives. We'd still make the perfect targets for anyone looking to turn the screws on you or Constantino," argued Michael.

"You always wanted to be like me?" asked Sonny getting a slightly sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. That was the last thing he ever wanted Michael to be. He had never considered just how deeply this was set inside of Michael.

"What did you think I was going to want to be, Dad? You have always been a larger than life figure. But it isn't even about that anymore. It isn't about following in your footsteps. This isn't about gaining your approval and respect. This is about me following the path that is right for me. This about me making the choice that is best for my life. This is what I am going to do. And there is nothing that Jason, Mom, or you can do to stop me. No matter what sort of roadblocks you toss my direction I am going to make my way in this world. And I hope one day that you will be able to understand my decision. But I won't justify it to you anymore. I will not explain myself to you anymore. I am not going to argue with you about it anymore...I'm done. I work for Johnny now and this is my life."

Kristina popped into the house saw Michael and Sonny in the middle of an intense conversation. She only needed one guess to figure out what they were talking about.

She walked further into the room and said, "Michael, it is almost time to get started. Rose is ready to go and her dad is getting ready to bring her out. You should be outside before she comes out of the bedroom. It is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

He chuckled slightly. "We can use all the good luck we can find."

Michael stood up from the couch and got ready to walk out to the beach.

Sonny sat there too stunned to even speak at the moment. This was as frank and confident as Michael had ever been with him. He wracked his brain to come up with some magical phrase that would convince Michael to see the light. But he could see the fire in his son's eyes when he spoke. There would be no changing his mind. There would be no getting him to see the light. Michael had made his decision and he intended to see it through til the end.

"Come work for me," blurted out Sonny.

Michael quirked an eyebrow at his father asked, "What?"

"You want into the business so bad...well then come work for me. At least if you are working with me and Jason I will know that you are safe and out of harm's way," said Sonny in a last ditch effort to protect his son.

Michael stopped walking when he heard Sonny's offer. He turned around to look at the desperate expression on his father's face.

"I can't do that, Dad. I already agreed that I would start working for Johnny. I can't just abandon him now. Besides, as soon as I accept your offer you will have me so far removed from the business it will hardly matter. I love you, Dad. I hope you know that my working for Johnny isn't meant to be a betrayal to you."

He walked out onto the beach for the first time that day and smiled seeing all of the work that everyone had put into getting it ready for their wedding.

Lit tiki torches lined both sides of a makeshift pathway that winded down the beach. On either side of the pathway were rows of white chairs where their families were now seated. At the end of the pathway stood the minister.

Everyone in attendance was wearing some form of white beach clothing in accordance with the dress code of the wedding.

Sonny stood on the beach looking at his son standing in front of the two families that would soon be joined as one. He spotted Johnny out of the corner of his eye. Sonny walked over to him. "Trying to turn my son against me is not going to work. Your plan will fail."

Johnny laughed and shook his head. "Michael would never turn on you. He loves you. Why? I don't know? Maybe the same reason I continue to let my father breathe. You really don't get it. This has nothing to do with you, Sonny. I know that is hard for you to believe because you believe that the universe revolves around you. I hired Michael because he is young and ambitious. And he understands the intricate way that this business works. He knows more than any young hood I could ever pull off the street. He is the perfect asset to my organization. More than that...he understands loyalty. He's seen it in how loyal Jason is to you and you are with Jason. I am more than happy to be his mentor."

"You are lying to him. His aspiration is to sit in the big chair one day. How does that play out? You are never going to hand over your family to a Corinthos. And if you are telling him that...then you are lying to my son. The Zacchara family has ran their own family for nearly 40 years. There is no way you change that," said Sonny.

Johnny said, "I don't have any family. Your abuse killed my sister. My father is old and maniacal. I can't trust him. And one day it will become necessary for him to die. I am not much for steady relationships so I don't see any children in my future. My family dies with me if I don't broaden my horizons. No one that works for me now has what it takes to be the boss of the family. But Michael has it. I can see it when he talks about the business. He talks to me because he knows that I understand how it feels to only know one path in life. To only want one path in life. If you would have paid attention to the man your son was becoming...you might have realized that."

Kristina walked over and said, "Johnny it is time to go."

Johnny nodded slightly.

Kristina took his arm and walked with him down the lighted pathway to meet Michael in front of the rocks.

Kristina hugged Michael. "I am so happy for you," whispered Kristina as she hugged her older brother.

Michael smiled and said, "Thanks for being here, Krissy."

Michael moved into his place and started to feel anxious as he waited for the ceremony to get underway. He just wanted to marry Rose.

Johnny shook Michael's hand and pulled him into a hug. "You ready to take the plunge?"

Michael smirked and said, "Never been more ready. Everything alright with you and my dad?" He had spotted the two men talking but didn't want to make the situation worse by drawing attention to it.

Johnny smiled. "We were just talking. Nothing to be worry about. I am not going to change my mind about anything. You have nothing to worry about on my end, Michael."

"Thanks," said Michael.

* * *

Marco stood in front of Rose a smiled wistfully. "I can't believe I am supposed to walk out there and give my little girl away. You look so beautiful, Rose."

"Thank you, Dad," said Rose. She looked in the mirror one last time.

"I knew that this day would come some day but I didn't realize that it would be so soon. You know, I remember when you first met Michael here. You followed him around everywhere he went. The both of you would play on the beach for hours on end."

Rose smiled softly. "I wish I had a better memory of being here. I remember bits and pieces but not much. Thank you for being here, Dad. I know it hurt you and mom that I planned to get married without you."

"I'm sorry that things have gotten so toxic that you felt you couldn't talk to me about what was going on with you. I can't believe that you didn't mention that Michael was going to work for Johnny Zacchara," said Marco in a disappointed voice. He just wasn't sure who he was more disappointed with Rose or himself.

Rose was quiet a minute. "Michael made his final decision the day of the engagement party. And it wasn't my place to tell anyone…anything before he was ready. Things have been bad for a long time now, Dad. The way you and Mom fight it just makes it feel like there is no air around the two of you. I know Mom is bad but the way you talk about her in front of us…"

"MY relationship with your mother is none of your concern," said Marco sternly.

"That might be true but thinking that you hate mom is hard. It is hard on all of us. Not just me. I'm half of her…do you hate that half of me?" asked Rose. "I've always hated when you say that I am just like her. It scares me that one day you might hate me too."

Marco's face fell slightly "Rose, I could never…you are my little girl and I love you more than I could ever say. The way I feel about your mother has nothing to do with you or your brothers."

Rose forced a sad smile "Sometimes it doesn't feel that way. It's time to go, Dad." She walked out of the room. Rose stood nervously by the doors as she waited for her time to walk down the aisle.

A few minutes later the instrumental version of 'What a Wonderful World' started playing.

Morgan and Xavier started walking down the aisle with Roman and Nicolas. When they reached the end of the aisle Theresa picked up both boys and set them on her lap. She was seated next to Carly instead of on the other side of the aisle.

Michael hugged Morgan and then Xavier. "Thank you for being a part of our wedding."

Morgan smiled. "You're welcome, Michael. Thanks for letting me be in the wedding." Morgan took his place behind Johnny.

Xavier said, "I think you are going to be a good brother."

Michael laughed and said, "I hope that I am. I think you are a great little brother, Xavier."

Xavier smiled and took his place behind Morgan.  
Molly was the next to walk down the aisle with Josslyn. She helped the little girl throw the flower petals in her basket.

When they made it to the end Molly handed Josslyn to Carly.

Michael hugged Molly and said, "Thanks, Molly."

"I am so happy for you, Michael. It so wonderful to see two people who really love each other to get married. I love you," said Molly with a bright smile.

Michael chuckled softly. "I love you too, Mol."

Molly took her place behind Kristina.

As the instrumental ended the song changed to 'Ave Maria' by Perry Como.

Marco Marino was wearing a white linen suit and had his daughter on his arm. Her started walking Rose down the aisle.

Michael stared in awe at how beautiful Rose looked to him in that moment. Her chocolate brown hair was curly and fell around her shoulders framing her face perfectly. Rose's simple white halter dress hugged her perfectly and swayed in the ocean breeze. Michael paused momentarily to be sure that he was still breathing. He waited for what seemed like an eternity to him until Marco and Rose finally reached him.

Rose couldn't stop smiling as she walked towards Michael. He looked so incredibly handsome in his white Italian linen shirt and matching white linen drawstring pants. But more importantly the smile on his face made her fall in love with him all over again.

Marco handed Rose's hand to Michael and took a seat.

The minister smiled and stated. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here tonight in the sight of God and all of his creation to unite Michael Morgan Corinthos III and Rose Adrienna Maria Marino in marriage. Although they are young and are just starting out in their adult lives, they have decided to make that journey together. Marriage is more than a legal contract entered into by two people. It is an agreement to love, honor, and support one another through the trials and tribulations that life presents you. Michael and Rose have informed me that they have each prepared their own vows." He nodded to Michael first.

Michael took a scrap of paper from his pocket and started to read. "It is no secret to anyone here that I have been through a lot the last couple of years. When I first met you I was an angry, miserable, lost person. I felt like no one around me truly knew who I was. Then you came into my life and you made me feel whole again. You loved me not in spite of who I am but because of who I am. Your love made me feel human again and it helped get me through the worst time in my life. You were brought back into my life to save me. To save me from becoming a man that I didn't want to be. I promise that I will spend the rest of my life being a good and loving husband to you. And being a good and loving father to our sons, Nicolas and Roman. You are so smart and beautiful. I promise to always trust you and treat you as my partner. I told you once that I didn't believe in marriage. I thought it was just a way for people to hurt one another. But falling in love with you made me believe that happiness in a marriage could be possible."

Rose blinked back at tears and said, "I have to confess that I had a hard time writing my vows today. Not because I don't love you, but because there are just so many things that I want to say to you. Michael, reconnecting with you is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. You are my destiny or fate or whatever you want to call it. We met here on this beach 11 years ago. We were just two kids growing up in a world that we couldn't escape. And years later we were brought back to one another. I don't believe in mistakes. You have changed my life in ways I never believed were possible. I used to wonder if I would ever find love. I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me. When we started dating I realized that there was nothing wrong with me. I was just a story that hadn't been finished. You are the other half of my story, Michael. We are like two halves of the same whole. You make me better. You make me happy and I will spend the rest of my life making you happy too. I don't know the future but I do know that it will be bright because I will share it with you."

The minister said, "Michael and Rose, it is my sincerest hope that you always remember your love and dedication to love one another. I hope that you both always remember to treat each other with the utmost respect and also the things that made you fall in love with one another. The human life span is so short in comparison with the life of the universe. So it is important that the two of you cherish the time you are allowed together. Always remember that there are no ties or vows more sacred or important than the ones you have with one another."

"May I have the rings?" asked the minister.

Johnny searched his pockets for the ring box. He took out a wedding band that matched Rose's engagement ring and handed it to Michael. He clapped the younger man on the back.

Kristina handed the matching men's wedding band to Rose.

Rose passed Kristina her bouquet of long stem white tulips.

The minister took the wedding bands and said, "Michael Morgan Corinthos III, do you take Rose Adrienna Maria Marino to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad times, for as long as you both shall live?" He handed one of the wedding bands to Michael.

Michael said, "I do." He slipped the white gold wedding band onto Rose's finger. He reached up and lightly brushed away her tears. "I love you, Rosie."

"I love you too, Michael."

The minister said, "Rose Adrienna Maria Marino, do you take Michael Morgan Corinthos III to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love and cherish him in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad times, for as long as you both shall live?" He handed the other wedding band to Rose.

"I do," said Rose with a bright smile. She slipped the ring onto Michael's finger.

"By the powers vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," said the minister.

Rose beat Michael to the punch and kissed him passionately.

The minister laughed and said, "Or the bride may kiss the groom. It is the 21st century after all. Family and friends, for the first time ever I would like to present to you Michael and Rose Corinthos III."

All of the guests in attendance stood on their feet and clapped for the new couple.

After the kiss Michael smirked at Rose. "Has anyone ever told you that you are a very good kisser, Mrs. Corinthos?"

Rose giggled and said, "No, just my husband."

Michael and Rose were inundated with family hugging them and congratulating them.

* * *

The bellhop opened the door to the honeymoon suite. He walked into the room setting down the couple's bags.

Michael tipped the bellhop and said, "Thank you." He closed the door and made sure that it was locked.

Rose was surveying the room with a bright smile on her face. Rose petals were strewn all over the room. "Oh, this is so beautiful. Did you arrange this?" asked Rose looking at Michael.

Michael gave a sheepish grin and said, "I wanted tonight to be special. And it will be." He walked over and lightly kissed Rose. "Are you hungry or anything?"

Rose smiled. "You are wonderful. No, I am not hungry. I had more than enough to eat at the wedding. I can't believe there was so much food at the reception." In reality Rose was far too nervous to eat. She wasn't sure how the night was going to play out. She could see the apprehension on Michael's face. Rose knew that he was trying to appear confident for her benefit.

Michael nodded slightly and said, "Okay. I guess there was a lot of food at the reception. Our mothers planned a great reception. My mom pulled a lot of the staff from the hotel tonight to serve as waiters at the reception. There are perks to my dad owning this hotel as well."

"Yeah, they planned a great reception. The wedding was wonderful too. And more importantly everyone behaved. There were no objections or outbursts," said Rose.

"Krissy was great about sneaking the two of us out of there without anyone noticing. If she hadn't I think our families would have tried to keep us at the reception all night. The reception was fun but I wanted time alone with my new wife," said Michael.

"Kristina was a life saver. She is so sweet for watching the boys for us tonight. I was glad that the boys were asleep before we decided to leave. I think it would have been a little harder to leave them if they were awake," said Rose.

Michael chuckled softly and nodded, "Especially Nicolas. He's really good at poking out that bottom lip and making me feel very guilty. That is how he manages to convince me to give him cookies before dinner."

Rose laughed. "Shame on both of you. I told Kristina to call me if she had any trouble whatsoever. She all but kicked me out of their bedroom tonight when I went to say goodnight. They looked so cute asleep with Josslyn."

"Krissy is a great babysitter. Besides, she will need something to occupy her. Ethan checked into a room here. Johnny figured they weren't safe in a house with my dad if I wasn't going to be there. I can't say that they are wrong."

"Yeah, I could see them mysteriously going missing in the middle of the night. Where did you guys go today?" asked Rose curiously.

"Johnny wanted to see how good of a shot I was. So we went and did some target practice. Then we just hung out and talked about his organization. He told me that Jason came to him last night offering a truce and an alliance…as long as Anthony disappeared."

Rose's eyes widened slightly. "What did Johnny say?"

"He's on board. Life is better with Anthony dead than it is with him alive. And they are going to let him into the harbor which is what the Zacchara family has wanted for years. He'd be stupid not to take the deal," said Michael.

"Well, looks like that might actually work out. I had words with my dad this evening. It didn't turn out great," said Rose.

"I'm sorry. I know how much you love your dad, Rosie." Michael lightly brushed her hair away from her face but didn't say anything.

"He doesn't understand how his hate for my mother tears me apart. He had the nerve to lecture me about my choices! Esta loco," said Rose.

Michael smiled slightly. "You sound like your mother the angrier you get."

Rose laughed a little. "Well, you sound like your father the angrier you get."

He chuckled and said, "A number of people have told me that I am a lot like my dad. My mother always wonders how that is possible since he isn't my biological father."

She giggled softly. "Despite out parents' fondest wishes…we are the people they raised us to be. But I happen to love every part of you."

Michael's eyes leisurely scanned the length of Rose's body. He moved closer to Rose and kissed her softly. "I happen to love every part of you too. You are beautiful and you smell amazing," whispered Michael.

"Thank you," whispered Rose in response.

"The last time we did this…I wasn't as nervous," said Michael. He decided that being honest was the best idea.

"The last time we did this…we were on an adrenaline high after Franco nearly killed the both of us. That night we didn't have to think we just…acted."

The two fell into an awkward silence for a few minutes before Rose said, "I am going to freshen up. I hope you don't mind." She grabbed her overnight bag and scurried into the bathroom.

Michael watched how quickly she exited the room and knew that he was making her as uncomfortable as he was. He blew out a frustrated puff of air. Michael took in a deep breath and went around the room lighting the candles that had been set up in preparation for their arrival. He wasn't going to let his fears ruin their first night as husband and wife.

Michael turned out the lights in the room and watched the candlelight flicker against the walls. The candles provided just enough light in the large suite. Michael set up his IPod shuffle and started the playlist he'd made specifically for this night.

He picked up the phone and called room service. "This is room 2030. I'd like a bottle of Dom Perignon, two glasses, and the chocolate trifle, please."

He hung up and then stripped down to his boxers. Michael donned one of the complimentary hotel robes and walked out onto the balcony. He leaned against the railing enjoying the beautiful ocean view.

After awhile there was a knock on the door. He walked to the door and looked out the peephole before opening the door.

"Good evening, Mr. Corinthos. I hope everything is to your liking," said the waiter as he rolled in the cart with Michael's order on it. "The flowers are compliments of the hotel. Please call if you need anything."

Michael grabbed his wallet and handed the waiter his tip. "Thanks." He locked the door after the guy left. Michael looked toward the bathroom and heard the shower running. He took a breath and had a seat on the bed waiting on Rose to come out.

Sitting on the bed made him feel ansty so he went back out to the balcony to wait. He had a seat in one of the lounge chairs and forced his body to relax.

After awhile Michael felt like someone was behind him. He turned his head to see Rose standing behind him. He was speechless for a moment because she was a vision of beauty.

Rose stood at the balcony doors nervously. She was wearing a pink thigh length chemise and a matching robe. Her curly dark brown hair rested against her shoulders.

Michael stood up nearly tripping over his own feet. "You look beautiful, Rose," Michael said feeling a little breathless. He closed the small distance between the two of them.

Rose offered an almost shy smile. "Thanks, the girls helped me pick it out today while we were out."

Michael took her hand and smiled. "I have a surprise for you." He walked with her into the room and over to the room service cart. Michael picked up the bottle of Dom Perignon and popped the cork.

"Michael?" asked Rose a little shocked.

He smiled. "The legal drinking age on the island is 18. We aren't breaking any laws and I think this is a great way to kick off our night. And I ordered a chocolate trifle for the two of us to share."

"Oh! You know how much I love chocolate." Rose couldn't resist swiping her finger across the top of the trifle to taste it. "Wow…"

Michael was glad to see that Rose was much more relaxed now. And to be honest he felt more relaxed as well. He poured two glasses of champagne and handed one to Rose. "To our first night as husband and wife."

Rose clinked her glass against his and said, "To a happy rest of our lives." She sipped some of the champagne and said, "Ooh very nice. I haven't had champagne since my cousin's wedding. You really did think of everything, Michael."

"I know that we are both…nervous. I just don't want to ruin tonight. I don't want you to have to worry about how I will react. That isn't what a honeymoon night is supposed to be about," said Michael.

"I am not just worried about you. I am worried about me too. My last relationship…we're both damaged in that regard. So let's just do our best and understand that nothing is ever perfect."

Michael kissed her softly. "You are a smart girl, Rose Corinthos."

Rose beamed hearing her new last name. It was like music to her ears. "And you are a very smart man, Michael Corinthos." She gasped softly hearing a song that she adored. "Dance with me, Michael."

Michael set their glasses of champagne down and took Rose into his arms so that they could dance. He smiled as they slowly swayed to the music. "We've come a long way from the first night that we danced together."


	20. Chapter 20

Michael was awakened from a deep sleep hearing his cell phone ringing repeatedly. He grabbed his phone from the night stand and answered it sleepily. "Hello?"

"Michael, you and Rose need to get back to the house now. Franco…was here," said Carly. Just uttering those words made her stomach turn. Franco was like a bad dream that none of them could seem to wake up from.

Michael sat up in the bed as the cobwebs started to clear from his head. Hearing Franco's name uttered in such a shaky voice was all Michael needed to rouse him from his sleep fog. He turned on the lamp next to the bed. "What happened? Is everyone okay?"

"Milo was shot and he isn't doing so well. Michael, that isn't the only thing that happened tonight. Franco tried to kidnap Josslyn, Roman, and Nicolas. They are okay but I knew that you and Rose would want to know what happened. And I don't think it is safe for the two of you to be there at that hotel on your own," said Carly. She could hardly contain her emotions.

"We'll be there soon, Mom. I'll wake Rose up and let her know what happened," said Michael.

Carly said, "I love you, Michael. Get here safely."

"I love you too, Mom." Michael ended the call and took in a deep breath. He looked over at Rose seeing that she was awake now too.

"What happened, Michael?" asked Rose with a worried look on her face. She could hear the worry in Michael's voice as he was speaking to Carly.

"The boys are fine, but Franco tried to kidnap them and Josslyn tonight. Milo was shot. We need to go back to the house. You get dressed. I am going to call Johnny," said Michael. He put on his robe and walked out onto the balcony to call Johnny.

Johnny answered the phone after a couple of rings. He squinted looking at the clock on the nightstand and said, "Michael, it's 4:30 in the morning. What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Rose and I are leaving the hotel. Franco tried kidnap Josslyn and my sons. Milo was shot in the process. I don't know how bad off he is. Our plans for today are going to need to be postponed. My family needs me."

Johnny blinked a little and said, "I'll get Ethan. We'll meet the two of you back at the house. Don't worry about the plans for today. They can be rescheduled."

Michael ended the call and went back into the room. He hurriedly got dressed and waited on Rose to finish getting dressed. A million things ran through his mind. Chief among them was the fact that he'd exposed his family to danger by leaving Port Charles unprotected and without notice. But more importantly this was just more ammo for Rose's parents. They had current and concrete proof that Michael's life was dangerous.

Rose walked out of the bathroom hastily dressed and teary eyed. "I am ready." She grabbed her purse and overnight bag as she slipped on a pair of flip flops.

Michael picked up his own bag and took Rose's bag from her. "Let's go." They headed down to the lobby and Michael went to the front desk. "I need my car brought around and I want to check out of my room, please. The name is Corinthos…room 2030." Michael put his credit card on the desk and waited impatiently for the clerk to start moving behind the desk.

The clerk said, "Mr. Corinthos, your father comped your room for the evening. I'll have the valet bring your car around now. Was there something not to your satisfaction?"

"The service was great. We've just got to go," said Michael.

"Oh, before you go there is a gift basket that was left here for you and your wife," said the clerk. She looked under the counter and pulled out a large gift basket.

Michael took the basket without thinking and walked with Rose out of the hotel. They stood out in the cool night air waiting for their car. He looked at Rose. "I'm sorry…"

Rose zipped up her light blue velour jogging suit. "You have nothing to apologize for. Franco is a maniac…we already know that. He almost killed both of us just to get Jason's attention. Our wedding was just too much of a tempting target. Neither side of the family came with their normal level of security. We were essentially out in the open," said Rose.

"We were all out in the open because I decided to run away from home like a child," said Michael. He punched the wall as hard as he could. Michael could only think of choking the life out of Franco.

"Michael! Franco was bound to come out of the shadows at some point. You have to know that so stop beating yourself up. You didn't do this. We can't plan our whole life around when Franco is going to show up and create chaos. He could have chosen the engagement party or graduation in a couple of weeks."

The valet pulled up in Michael's car. He opened the passenger door for Rose.

Rose walked over to the car and climbed in tiredly. All she wanted to do was see her sons with her own two eyes.

Michael tossed their bags in the backseat of the car, climbed into the car, and slammed the door in frustration. He didn't bother putting on a seatbelt as he sped back to Sonny's Villa. It seemed as if Michael was on autopilot as he drove.

Rose occasionally looked over at Michael seeing the anguish play out on his face. "This isn't your fault, Michael."

"Your parents aren't going to see it that way. They are going to throw this in our faces," said Michael through almost clenched teeth.

"This doesn't have anything to do with your life, Michael. You weren't in the mob when Franco targeted us before. This is baggage from your dad and Jason. It actually proves my point…that we are always going to be targets because of who we are related to," said Rose.

Michael glanced over at Rose briefly before returning his eyes to the road. He couldn't tell if she was being genuine or if she was just trying to be nice so that he didn't freak out.

When they arrived at the house Rose jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped moving. She ran into the house and paled seeing a large puddle of blood in the middle of the floor.

Carly walked around the blood to greet Rose. She hugged Rose to comfort the girl. "Sweetheart…"

Rose swallowed nervously and asked, "Is that Milo's blood?"

Carly shook her head. "No, Franco didn't come here alone. He had two accomplices helping him. One of his accomplices was lucky he died when one of the guards shot him. The other one wasn't so lucky. He's still alive." She had no doubt that the man would wish he was dead when Sonny and Jason were through with him.

"But of course Franco managed to get away unscathed?" asked Rose. She tried to hold back a sigh. The lunatic was out of his mind and yet always proved to be one step ahead of everyone else.

"I'm afraid so," said Carly.

Michael walked into the house with a strange look on his face. He was carrying their bags but not the gift basket. "Where are my boys?"

Carly said, "Krissy has them in her room. Before you see them I want to warn you that Nicolas has a bump on the head. Franco dropped him and Josslyn when Milo walked in on the kidnapping."

Michael took Rose's hand. "Come on." He walked with Rose down the hall to Kristina's room. Michael opened the door and walked inside.

Molly and Morgan were in their pajamas sitting on the settee in the bedroom. They were absentmindedly watching an infomercial on television.

Kristina was perched on the edge of the bed holding Nicolas on her lap. Roman was curled up on the other side of her fast asleep with Josslyn.

Rose rushed over and gently took Nicolas from Kristina's arms. She winced see the large bump on his head. "My poor baby," whispered Rose getting choked up.

Michael looked at Nicolas and kissed the top of the boy's head. "Ah he's okay, Rosie. Look at him. He's not even crying." He rubbed Nicolas' back and looked over at Morgan and Molly. "Are you two okay?'

Molly nodded and said, "Just scared for Milo. He looked really bad when Max took him away."

"Do you think he will be okay?" asked Morgan.

Michael walked over to the settee and kneeled in front of it. "I am going to find out how he is doing and then I will come back to tell you guys. I promise."

He walked over to the other side of the bed to get a look at Josslyn. He was glad to see that she seemed okay as well. She had the beginning of a bruise on her head. Michael kissed the top of her head.

Michael gently picked up Roman and walked around the bed so that he was standing next to Rose. "The boys are fine, Rosie," whispered Michael trying to ease her fears.

She nodded and said, "I know that they are. We were lucky this time."

There was a knock on the door and then Johnny stepped in through the door. "Michael…"

Michael handed Roman off to Kristina and said, "I'll be back. I am going to talk to Johnny."

Ethan said, "I'll stay out here and keep an eye on things."

Michael said, "Thanks, Ethan." He walked out of the room with Johnny. "I want to find my dad and figure out exactly what happened here tonight."

Johnny nodded in understanding. "I'll go with you."

"Thanks for coming, Johnny," said Michael.

"You don't have to thank me. Someone came after your family. You're part of my family now. That means something," said Johnny.

Michael walked into the living room and asked, "Mom, where are Dad and Jason?"

She stopped cleaning the blood off of the floor. "They are in his office, but I don't think they want to be disturbed right now, Michael," said Carly in a concerned voice.

Michael nodded but still led the way to the office. He walked in without bothering to knock.

Sonny was punching a man that was handcuffed to a chair in his office. He looked up seeing Michael and Johnny standing in the doorway. Sonny grabbed a towel from his desk and wiped the blood from his hands. "Michael, I don't want you in here right now. I don't want you involved in this."

"That psycho just tried to kidnap my sons and my baby sister. My kid has a bruise on his head and you think that I'm not involved?" asked Michael hotly.

Sonny steered Michael and Johnny out of the office. He closed the door leaving Jason to finish the job. "I understand your anger, but you have to trust that I am going to take care of this. Your emotions are getting the better of you and you aren't thinking straight."

Johnny scoffed at Sonny. He was king of letting his emotions dictate his actions. But he didn't say anything.

"What exactly happened tonight?" asked Michael as calmly as he could manage under the circumstances.

Sonny walked with Michael and Johnny out to the beach where he was sure that they would have some privacy. "Everyone was pretty much in bed for the night except for the security and Alexis. The lights shorted out and then Franco set off two charges on opposite sides of the house. All of the security rushed to my side of the house thinking that I was the target. Alexis went in the other direction to check on the kids. Milo went to the control room to see what happened to the lights."

"How could Franco have done anything to the lights? You had the electrical boxes installed inside so that sort of thing couldn't happen," said Michael.

Sonny drew in a tried breath and replied, "Franco had a man on the inside. The guy was posing as a waiter at your wedding. Sometime during the reception he must have slipped into the control room unseen and hid out until Franco was ready to put his plan in motion. He shot Milo and ran out of the control room. Milo managed to flip the lights back on and chased the guy. He took him out in the living room. When Alexis made it to the kids' bedrooms she heard male voices in the room that the boys and Josslyn were sleeping in. She stabbed Franco in the back and he dropped Nicolas and Josslyn. He took off the same way he came in. The other guards caught the second accomplice."

Michael's jaw was clenched as he listened to Sonny recount the night's events. "What are you doing to find Franco? He was obviously after Josslyn."

"We have our people looking for him and Jason is encouraging our friend in the office to tell us everything he knows about Franco. I want you to stay out of this Michael. It is dangerous. Franco wasn't just after Josslyn…" Sonny took a picture out of his pocket and showed it to Michael. It was a surveillance picture of Michael getting Nicolas and Roman out of an SUV in Port Charles.

Michael took the picture and stared at it momentarily.

Johnny glanced at the picture and shook his head. "Bastard…"

Sonny said, "Michael…"

"Yeah…I'll stay out of it Dad," said Michael.

Sonny hugged his son. "I have more security on the way. I will keep everyone safe. But I think that the worst is over. Franco has probably scrambled to get off of the island and lick his wounds."

"How is Milo doing?" asked Michael.

"They were able to get the bleeding to stop and they removed the bullet. He is going to be fine," said Sonny.

Michael was glad to hear that. "Good. I want a doctor to get a look at Nicolas. He seems okay but I want to be sure about that."

"I'll get a doctor to stop by to check on him and Josslyn."

Michael nodded and headed inside. He looked to Johnny. "I need to check on my kids."

"And then?" asked Johnny.

"And then I want to find Franco and put him out of his misery," said Michael in an eerily calm voice.

"I'm in," said Johnny.

Michael walked down the hall to see Ethan still standing in front of the door. "Thanks for keeping an eye on them, Ethan." He walked into the room and saw that Morgan and Molly had both fallen asleep on the settee.

Kristina and Rose were both sitting on the bed keeping a watch over the little ones. Rose looked up seeing Michael walk into the room.

Michael said, "I need to talk to you…"

Rose nodded and gently laid Nicolas down on the bed now that he was asleep. She walked out of the room and followed Michael to the room next door. She gasped softly seeing the glass on the floor from the shattered door.

"I am going after Franco," said Michael simply.

Rose nodded. She hadn't expected any less. She had not been fooled by his calm exterior. She knew that the hate he felt for Franco had been building for quite awhile. "Be careful, please. I'd rather not be a widow so soon after getting married."

"I will come back safely. You have my word, Rosie. I expect that my dad will be sending everyone home soon. I want you to take the boys and go home. I'll be back to Port Charles when Franco is dead."

"You are going to go after Franco on your own?" asked Rose.

"No, Johnny is definitely on board and I think that Ethan is too. I am not saying anything to my dad about this. He just lied to face," said Michael.

"What do you mean?" asked Rose.

Michael shook his head and said, "My dad just told me that Franco was probably already off the island. I don't believe that for a minute. Dad and Jason are too smart to believe that. He lied to keep me off of Franco's trail."

"I think that he is just trying to keep you safe, Michael."

"I don't need him to keep me safe. I want to protect my family. Do you know how wrong things could have gone if Alexis hadn't stepped in? This can't ever happen again," said Michael.

"And he wants to protect his family. You are his son and he doesn't want you to end up dead. Franco has no problem with killing people. I support your decision to go after Franco. If I could strangle him with my bare hands I would. But what I am saying is that you have to be smart and you can't let your hate for Franco blind you to the danger of pursuing a psychopath," said Rose.

Michael sighed seeing the worried expression on Rose's face. He lightly caressed her cheek. "I promise that I won't take any unnecessary risks."

Rose smiled softly and said, "That is all I wanted to hear from you."

"Oh, I also asked my dad to get a doctor here to check out Nicolas."

Rose threw her arms around Michael and hugged him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her softly. Michael walked Rose back to the other room. He hugged Kristina and said, "Thanks for looking after my boys, Krissy. And thank your mom for me."

"Wait, where are you going?" asked Kristina with a worried look. She glanced over at Rose and saw a worried look on her face as well.

"I've just got some things that I need to take care of. Nothing too big. When Molly and Morgan wake up tell them that Milo is going to be okay," said Michael.

He walked back out of the room. "I am ready to go Johnny."

Michael, Johnny, and Ethan left the house.

Michael said, "I need to get something out of my car first."

A few minutes later he climbed into Johnny's rental SUV. Johnny asked, "What's with the gift basket?"

"This is from Franco," Michael said.

"What are you talking about, mate?" asked Ethan.

Michael said, "When Rose and I checked out of the hotel the clerk said that someone left a gift basket for us. It was to be given to us when we checked out of the hotel. He was assuming that he would have kidnapped the boys and Josslyn before we checked out and received the basket. I was so angry and worried when we were checking out of the hotel that I didn't give it any thought. But when we got to the house something told me to look at the gift basket."

Johnny turned on the interior lights so that he could get a look at the contents of the basket. "Is there anything out of the ordinary?"

Michael said, "Everything in the basket is routine except for the portable DVD player. I checked the player and there is a disc inside. I haven't watched it yet."

"Well, I'm in the mood for a movie," said Johnny.

Michael pressed play and waited for the movie to start.

Franco appeared on the screen with a large smile on his face. "Greetings, Newlyweds! I can't believe that the two of you didn't invite me to your wedding. No matter, I managed to get a button's eye view of your wedding and reception. I have to say it was quite moving. Rose makes you feel more human, Michael? Even though you didn't invite me to your wedding I decided to give the two of you a gift anyway. Please enjoy this lovely gift basket. There was something about your wedding that struck me. You two are making a little family. What is a family without children? I've always had a special bond with Josslyn but over the last few months I feel like I've gotten to know Nicolas and Roman too."

Images started to flash across the screen. They were of Nicolas and Roman at the park. Some of them were of Nicolas and Roman outside at home. Pictures of Josslyn at the park and outside of Sonny's house flashed across the screen. The last picture was of Nicolas and Roman playing on the beach the previous day.

"So, I've decided that the four of us are going to take a little family vacation. Who knows where we might end up or when you might see them again. Let Jason know that if he doesn't give chase…this story doesn't have a very happy ending," said Franco. The video went black.

Ethan shook his head in shock and said, "Franco is one sick puppy."

Michael said, "He was here…that day that we had the clambake on the beach. I recognize the swim trunks that the boys were wearing that day. He was here watching us."

"He's good. I didn't see him while we were out on the beach. I didn't notice anyone," said Johnny.

"What's our move?" asked Ethan.

"My dad told me that he thinks Franco left the island, but I think he was just trying to throw me off. The best way to get off of this island is by plane. There is a storm system coming in. The airport started grounding flights last night. He needs another way off of the island. That takes time to get the arrangements put together. I think Franco is still right here on the island. I intend to find him before he gets off of it. The basket came from the hotel gift shop. Let's start there. Franco likes to hide in plain sight," said Michael.

Johnny nodded and said, "That is as good a place as any to start." He drove the threesome back to the hotel wondering if they were just on a wild goose chase. Either way he knew that it was a great chance to bond more with Michael. Once again Johnny was giving Michael an opportunity that Sonny wouldn't.

Michael looked in the backseat where Ethan was stoically sitting. "You okay?"

Ethan looked at Michael and said, "Yeah, I'm fine, mate. I was just thinking that I should call to make sure that Lulu is okay."

"If you do that Dante is going to want to get involved in all of this. Just make sure you point him in my dad's direction and away from the hotel," said Michael.

Johnny pulled to a stop in front of the hotel. "Follow us in when you finish the call, Ethan." Johnny got out of the SUV and went around to the back he grabbed a gun and handed it to Michael.

Michael slipped the gun into his waistband and made sure his jacket obscured it.

Johnny and Michael walked into the hotel and right up to the front desk.

Michael walked around it.

The clerk gasped in surprise. "Mr. Corinthos, how can I help you?"

Michael flashed a calming smile. "I just want to get a look at the hotel's booking records. We have so many family members staying here that I have forgotten what rooms they are staying in."

The woman seemed to be put at ease. "Oh, of course. Please, let me know if you need any help."

Johnny asked, "Could you be a dear and get a soda for me?"

"Sure…" She smiled and went toward the kitchen.

Michael started selecting parameters in the system. "He would have checked in as a single male in the last couple of days. He probably paid a cash deposit instead of giving a credit card. And since he was playing with explosives I am assuming that he didn't want to be interrupted. He probably declined cleaning services." His eyes scanned down the page for guests that matched that description. "Got it."

Johnny walked closer and looked at the screen. "Matthew Courtmoore?"

"Courtney Matthews was my aunt. She was also married to Jason. And Moore is Jason's biological mother's last name. Franco likes leaving breadcrumbs but this could be a trap," warned Michael standing up from the computer after jotting down the room number.

"You know me, Michael. I like taking risks," said Johnny.

Ethan jogged into the hotel and said, "Dante is supposed to be leaving here within minutes to go over to Sonny's house."

Michael said, "Then we better take the stairs to avoid crossing paths with him." He took out his cell phone and texted Sonny to warn him that Dante was on the way.

The three men trudged up the stairwell and paused seeing drips of blood.

When they reached the third floor there was a small pool of blood as if the person had rested there for a time.

Johnny said, "We need to take care of the cameras on either end of the hallway or we are going to have an audience for this. The easiest thing to do would be to just cut the wires."

Ethan said, "I'll get the camera on this end of the hall." He jogged off to take care of the camera.

"I'll get the other one." Michael ran to the other end of the hall.

Johnny made his way to Franco's room which was fairly close to the stairwell. He figured it was for a quick getaway necessary. Johnny put his ear to the door to see if he could hear anything.

Michael quietly walked up next to Johnny and whispered. "Do you hear anything?"

Johnny nodded. "TV."

Ethan joined the other two men.

Johnny whispered, "On three. 1…2…3…" On three he kicked the door open and walked into the room with his gun drawn.

Franco popped up out of the bed as soon as he heard the door burst open. He grabbed a messenger bag from the end of the bed and ran out of the open balcony doors.

Michael fired twice at Franco.

Franco howled in pain being caught in the shoulder but still managed to leap off of the balcony.

Johnny, Ethan, and Michael ran out onto the balcony to see if Franco was laying on the ground. However, Franco was nowhere to be seen.

Michael slammed his hand down on the railing. "I can't believe he got away!"

"He won't get far. You caught him in the shoulder. Let's get out of here…we'll find him," said Johnny. He clapped Michael on the back trying to get the younger man's attention.

"Yeah, we should go before someone calls in the shooting," said Ethan.

Michael nodded numbly. "Okay." He gave one last look toward the sand before walking out of the hotel room. Michael took out his cell phone and called Rose.

Rose answered the phone after one ring. "Michael? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just need you to tell Dad that I ran into Franco but he managed to get away…but he's a little slower this time around. He picked up some extra metal in the shoulder. I can't talk to Dad myself right now. I don't want to argue with him about this," said Michael.

"Of course I can do that for you, Michael. Your mom says that we are leaving for Port Charles in a couple of hours if Sonny has his way. I love you."

"I love you too, Rosie. I don't think that you guys will be able to fly off of the island today. There is a storm system coming in. It is probably going to ground all of the flights. The good news is…Franco is probably stranded on the island too," said Michael. "I need you to believe that I am going to find him, Rosie."

"I believe you, Michael."

"I'll talk to you later."

Rose ended the call and took in a deep breath. She went to Sonny's office and knocked on the door.

Jason opened the door to the now empty office. The man that had been there was now gone. "Is something wrong, Rose?" asked Jason.

Rose shook her head slightly. "Michael wanted me to give Sonny a message."

Sonny said, "Come on in."

Rose walked into the room and heard Jason close the door as she entered. "Michael, called me and said that Franco is still on the island."

Sonny sat up more in his desk and his eyes widened in surprise. "How does Michael know this?"

"He just saw him at your hotel. Michael, Johnny, and Ethan went looking for him," said Rose.

Jason chimed in and asked, "Where is Michael now?"

Rose said, "I don't know."

* * *

That afternoon Rose was in the bed taking a much needed nap. Carly had offered to keep an eye on Roman and Nicolas for her.

Michael walked into the bedroom silently and watched Rose sleeping peacefully in their bed. All he wanted to do was talk to her but Michael couldn't bring himself to wake her up. Instead he went into the bathroom to get a shower.

Rose woke up after awhile hearing the water running in the bathroom. She looked out of the windows and saw that it looked dark outside. Rose couldn't tell if it was night time or just dark because it was storming outside.

Michael walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. "I didn't mean to wake you up, Rose," Michael said in an apologetic tone.

"No, it is okay. I am glad that you did. I was worried about you out there in that weather looking for Franco." She climbed off the bed and ran over to Michael hugging him tightly. "Are you okay?"

Michael nodded. He wrapped his arms around Rose and said, "We couldn't find him. We got to the marina 20 minutes after his boat left. The water was too choppy for us to chase him. So he's a ghost yet again."

"You did the best that you could, Michael. The odds were stacked against you. All we can do is hope that Franco will go into hiding for awhile," said Rose.

Michael nodded. "Yes, that is the best that we can hope for. How are the boys?"

"Nicolas, Roman, and Josslyn are all okay. Your dad had a doctor come in and check all of them out. Oh, your mom told me earlier that Milo is doing better."

"Good." Michael grabbed some clothes from the closet and headed back into the bathroom to get dressed.

Rose had a seat on the end of the bed.

Michael walked back out of the bathroom dressed in slacks and a button up shirt. "Have you heard from your parents?"

Rose said, "My parents were over here first thing this morning. They were somewhere between relieved and furious."

He shook his head and had a seat next to Rose. Michel draped his arm around her shoulders and said, "I am sorry that you had to go through that."

"I was fine, Michael. I listened to them lecture me with their self-righteous indignation. And once they were through I reminded them about the sunny life that I've had. That shut them up," said Rose.

Michael chuckled slightly. "They are your parents."

"And you are my husband. I am not going to let them drag you through the mud," said Rose.

"Thank you," Michael whispered. He kissed her.


	21. Chapter 21

Michael pulled into the semi circle driveway of a beautiful two story house on the lake. It was still sinking in that this was his home now. The manicured front lawn faced Lake Road and he was only a few houses away from Alexis Davis.

In the month since Michael and Rose returned to Port Charles life had rapidly changed for the newlyweds. Life in the Marino household was tense and nearly unbearable in some situations. Marco's obvious dislike for Michael put him at odds with Rose and strained his relationship with her.

But his anger was not solely directed at Michael. Marco and Theresa were getting into fights on a daily basis as they waded through their divorce proceedings. Now there was a custody battle for Xavier brewing. The stress the situation put on Rose was visible every day.

Michael briefly considered staying with his parents. They were being far more understanding about Michael's choice than Marco was at the moment. During their stay on the island Sonny, Jason, and Johnny came to an agreement that would keep peace between the two families, keep Michael protected, and rid them all of Anthony Zacchara.

But moving in with Sonny or Carly was hardly an option. First, it would give them some degree of control over Michael and Rose. If you lived in someone's house you had to live by their rules. Second, Michael was concerned that his parents were planning a reconciliation.

Almost as soon as Carly and Sonny returned to Port Charles the paperwork for a divorce was drawn up by Brenda's lawyer. Sonny leaving the country with Carly had been the very last straw. No one could blame her for feeling that way. Carly was always going to be a sticking point in their marriage. Sonny didn't know how to put limits on his relationship with Carly. To be truthful it didn't seem that he wanted limits on that relationship. They had an unhealthy attachment to one another that was bound to ruin any relationship they were in.

Speaking of relationships ruined by Sonny and Carly's connection to one another, Jax was still devastated by Josslyn's paternity revelation. At first he didn't fully believe Carly's story. It was not out of the realm of possibilities for her to lie to keep sole custody of Josslyn. So, Diane arranged for two independent labs to conduct paternity tests on Josslyn to prove that Sonny was indeed her father. It was the only way to get Jax to believe the truth and drop his custody suit.

Now Carly and Sonny spent their evenings together with Morgan and Josslyn. They were trying to find a way to work out Carly's issues with Sonny's life. Thus far extra security and Sonny's truce with Johnny was enough to satisfy Carly.

Michael and Rose's families were in the middle of domestic upheavals. It made closing on the house they purchased even more important. It took a little extra money and Diane smoothing the way but they were able to close quickly. With the help of their families they furnished and moved into the home last week. The 4 bedroom 3 ½ bathroom home was perfect for the little family and their younger siblings that were sure to visit often. In fact the newlyweds were expecting their younger siblings that evening. Rose and Michael were keeping their promise of letting Kristina and Molly help them open the presents from the engagement party.

Rose walked out of the house and smiled at Michael. "Do you need help bringing in the groceries? I was starting to think you weren't ever going to come back."

"Yes, I did not realize that the list was so long until I was in the store with a full cart. I can't believe that we need all of this food for one night."

She chuckled. "Well, Xavier and Morgan have healthy appetites. Besides, Johnny and Ethan are coming over later. I wanted to have something for the three of you to snack on in case you got hungry."

Michael handed Rose a couple of bags and then grabbed the rest of them. He pushed the door closed with his hip. "I doubt Kristina and Molly will be interested in eating anything. They really just want to help open gifts."

"True. I figure Xavier and Morgan can be on wrapping paper control. I talked to Molly this afternoon she has a whole system worked out for tonight. I got confused on the phone so I'll have to wait until she gets here to figure it out. This morning I picked up the stationary my mother bought for us."

The couple walked into the house with the groceries. The majority of the first floor was laid out in an open concept. The large kitchen was visible from the living room. There was a family room on the opposite side of the kitchen. The back wall of the family room was essentially made of glass and French doors. The transparent wall provided a great view of the lake.

Michael set the groceries on the counter.

"How was Edward doing today?" asked Rose.

Michael chuckled. "He was thrilled that I came into the office on a weekend. He said that it reminds him of when he was young."

Rose smiled softly. "You are a making an old man very happy. I see the way he looks at you, Michael. I don't think you could make him happier."

He laughed. "Oh, I could make Edward happier by agreeing to stay on with ELQ permanently. He really wants to groom me to take over the company. He outlined his reasons this morning when he stopped by my office."

Rose was starting to put away the groceries. She quirked an eyebrow at him asked, "Are you interested?"

"As much as I would like to make Edward happy. You and I both know that I've got no interest in being Mr. Corporate America. Not to mention I'd have to fight Tracy for the company tooth and nail. There is no way she is going to let him hand ELQ over to a Corinthos. However, he did inform me that once I graduate high school I'll receive A.J.'s shares of ELQ. I'll officially be a board member."

Michael continued putting up the groceries with a small smirk on his face.

"Well, how do you feel about that?" asked Rose, she stopped putting away the groceries to give him her full attention.

"It would make Edward happy. It would be a way to ensure the Quartermaine legacy. Not to mention that I like having options and I like having more than one source of income. Staying on with ELQ is a smart move. My dad has gone out of his way to have several legitimate sources of income. I think this is a good way for me to follow suit. As a board member I'd have to attend the meetings but those are once a month. We'll have to schedule our weekends home around those but we can make it happen. What do you think?"

"I think it is a smart idea, Michael. ELQ is a legitimate business and the money generated from it is clean. It gives you a legitimate public persona. I like it."

"Edward asked about you today."

Rose asked, "Really?"

"He still wants to know if you are interested in working at ELQ during the summer with me. For what it is worth I think that you should give it some thought," said Michael.

"No, I have been thinking about it, Michael. Normally, I spend the summers as an intern at my dad's security firm. He usually sends me down to legal. I've learned a lot over the summers. Edward's offer is sweet but I don't know the first thing about running a corporation."

Michael said, "He is willing to get you an internship with legal. It would be paid. He really wants to bring you into the family fold. Don't ask me why."

She laughed softly. "Well, that is easy to figure out. If I like ELQ it might be easier to sway you to stay on permanently. Do you want me to intern at ELQ?"

"It'd be nice being able to see you during the day. My hours will be crazy during the summer. I've got a lot of work to put in before we leave for college. I need to learn the ropes if I am transferring to the Manhattan office. There I won't be under the watchful eye of my great-grandfather. I will be under the skeptical eye of my cousin, Ned Ashton."

"Tracy's son? I am sure he will be as eager to see you fail as she is. I am leaning towards working at ELQ. The situation with my parents is only getting worse and my dad hates you right now. It might be better to not spend time with him in a professional capacity. Tell Edward I'm in."

Michael smiled. "You won't regret it. Oh, I stopped by the school's office this morning and picked up our prom tickets."

Her face lit up briefly thinking about the dance. However, she deadpanned, "Prom?"

He smiled and walked up behind her putting his arms around her waist. "Yes, prom. I think that we should go, Rose. I didn't go to my Junior prom because I was in prison. You didn't go to your Junior prom either. I think that if you don't go you will regret it later on."

"I think that if we do go we will regret it that night. What do we have in common with the kids that are going to be at prom?" asked Rose. She turned around in his arms so that they were facing one another. Her engagement ring and wedding band glinted under the light as she rested her hand on his chest.

"Well, most of them will be graduating with us in two weeks. Listen, it is a memory, Rose. Neither of us has had a conventional high school career, but prom and graduation are two things you just aren't supposed to miss out on. We can go for awhile and if it sucks we will leave and come back to our very awesome home."

Rose's eyes sparkled a little. A few weeks ago Rose had considered going to prom but she was concerned about what Michael wanted. She knew that he hated dealing with the punks at their school. Prom night was filled with underage drinking and false bravado. There was no telling what those jerks might do or say to Michael on prom night. "I don't have a dress."

Michael chuckled. "Now you are just making up excuses. You have more than a dozen gowns in our closet. I know because I am the one that hung them up when we were moving in. Not to mention that with our connections you could get just about any gown you wanted in less than a few days. I know that you want to go, Rose. You don't need to pretend for my benefit."

"And you don't have to pretend for my benefit. I know that prom isn't something that you are just dying to do. You are doing this for me and as much as I appreciate the thought I want you to know that it isn't necessary."

"I am not just doing this for you, Rose. I'll never be normal and I don't want to be. But years from now I think it would be nice to look back at pictures from prom night. I think it would be nice to tell our sons about me taking their mother to prom and how beautiful she looked that night. I want those memories for both of us."

Rose's breath hitched slightly. She smiled and leaned up kissing Michael softly. "You really mean it?"

Michael gently caressed her cheek. "I wouldn't lie to you, Rose. Not even to spare your feelings."

"Looks like we are going to prom! Is Krissy going?" asked Rose.

"I don't know. I mean Taylor has been pretending to be her boyfriend so that Dad and Alexis don't find out about Ethan…but he has an actual girlfriend now. I am pretty sure he is going to want to go to prom with her."

Rose snickered. "She could always take Ethan."

Michael quirked an eyebrow at Rose and then started tickling her. "Oh! That is hilarious! A man in his twenties attending a high school prom. There would be no way to stop the parental figures from finding out about Ethan then. It would be the talk of Port Charles by morning."

"Morning? The hotel clerk ratted us out after we checked into that hotel. Everything gets back to your father lightning fast. Besides, they are going to find out sooner rather than later, anyway. Kristina fully intends to move in with Ethan the same weekend we graduate. I'll ask Krissy about prom tonight. She could always just hang out with us."

"I doubt that she will want to be a third wheel to a married couple. It sounds incredibly painful and boring. If I had any friends I'd try to set her up with someone. But as it stands my circle of friends are very small. There is you and Johnny."

Rose chuckled and slipped out of Michael's arms so that she could continue putting away the groceries. "I am sure that Sonny and Alexis would just love having Johnny take Kristina to prom."

Michael laughed. "Yeah, I bet Ethan would be thrilled about it, too."

Just then the door bell rang.

Michael said, "I'll get it."

He left the kitchen and walked to the front door. He smiled looking out the glass pane seeing Carly, Sonny, and Josslyn on the porch. Michael opened the door.

Sonny grinned at his son with a couple of bags in his hands. "Your mother insisted that we stop over to see you after we left Diane's office."

Michael chuckled. "It's fine. It is good to see the two of you. Come in."

Carly hugged Michael and walked into the house with Sonny.

Michael closed the door and asked, "Is everything okay? Why did you two have to see Diane?"

Carly smiled and said, "Jax's lawyer in Brisbane faxed over the final paperwork we needed so that Sonny's name can be added to Josslyn's birth certificate. Diane had a few things for us to sign and after the change is entered into record my little ball of sunshine will have a new name."

"Josslyn Michaela Corinthos," said Sonny.

"Michaela?" asked Michael.

Carly explained, "Yes, Michaela. In honor of her brother that saved her life."

Michael stood there speechless for a moment not sure what to say.

Rose walked out of the kitchen and smiled. "Hi, Carly. Hi, Sonny."

She looked at the strange expression on Michael's face and asked. "Is something wrong?"

Michael chuckled a little. "Uh, no. Mom and Dad just told me that they are changing Josslyn's name. Her new middle name will be Michaela…after me."

Rose's smile brightened seeing the look of pride on Michael's face. "I think that is amazing."

"I don't know what would have happened to Joss if Michael hadn't found us that night. I don't know what would have happened to me. I know you've been through so much pain because of what happened that night. I just always want you to remember that it is worth it. I want you to know that your father and I will always be grateful for the man you proved yourself to be that night. A man that loves his family and that will risk everything to protect them from harm," said Carly. She coughed to steady her voice as she felt tears fill her eyes.

Sonny smiled seeing how choked up Carly was getting. It had taken them some time to come up with Josslyn's new middle name but once they had it was obvious that no name could be better.

She handed Josslyn over to Michael. "Excuse me, I am going to go to the restroom."

Michael watched as Carly hightailed it out of the room. He looked at Sonny. "Is she okay?"

Sonny nodded. "She's just dealing with the fact that you aren't her little baby anymore. You're a grown man with a wife and two boys of your own. It is safe to say that Carly is having a little separation anxiety."

"Separation anxiety? I haven't lived with Mom in a long time."

"Yes, but there was always the chance that you would come back home. When you were on probation and had to live with Dante that was only temporary. Buying your own home…is permanent. Carly is just feeling like she missed out. Unfortunately, Morgan is going to get an extra helping of your mother's love. Oh, Carly wanted to bring these by."

He handed the bags to Rose.

Rose looked inside and asked, "More gifts? I think we've got more than enough to open."

Carly walked back into the room her eyes dry now. "Those aren't for the two of you. Those are for my grandsons. I realized that with everything that has been going on Sonny and I haven't bought anything for Nicolas and Roman. Where are the boys?"

Rose's eyes widened and she gave an appreciative smile. "That is so incredibly sweet. I wish the boys were home right now so that you could watch them open the gifts but they are spending the afternoon with my mom and Xavier. She is finally settled into her penthouse at Harbor View Towers."

Carly said, "Oh, I was hoping to see them today."

Michael glanced at his watch. "Well, Theresa is supposed to be bringing the boys and Xavier here in about an hour. Would you two like to stick around til then?"

Sonny chuckled. "You are asking whether your mother would like to spend a couple of hours with you? I think you already know the answer to that."

Michael chuckled.

"Actually, I wanted to have a talk with the two of you about something. Is it alright if we sit down?" asked Carly.

Rose gasped and then chuckled at herself. "I feel like a bad hostess. I guess I am still getting the hang of this thing. Please, sit down. Would you two like anything to drink?"

Carly said, "Water would be good."

Sonny shook his head. "The same for me."

He unbuttoned his suit jacket and had a seat on the couch with Carly.

Michael handed Josslyn to Sonny and said, "I'll go get the waters. Do you want anything, Rose?"

"I'll have a bottle of water too, Michael," said Rose. She had a seat at the other end of the sectional.

A few moments later Michael returned with bottles of water for everyone. "So, what is going on, Mom?"

"Well, I know that you two are looking for a solution for your childcare issues during the day while the two of you are in school and I'd like to offer up a suggestion. What would the two of you think about bringing the boys to the MetroCourt during the day?" asked Carly. She opened the bottle of water and took a sip.

Michael chuckled. "That is really sweet of you, Mom, but you work. I don't know how you'd be able to keep an eye on them."

"Oh, I wasn't suggesting that I would have the time to watch Roman and Nicolas all day. However, you know I have the suite at the MetroCourt and Mercedes is going to be watching Josslyn there during the day so that I can pop in and see my munchkin more often. I was thinking that Mercedes could look after the boys, too. That way I can visit with them more often and Josslyn can spend some more time with her nephews."

Sonny added, "And I'll be dropping in at lunch most days of the week to see Josslyn. It'd give me the opportunity to spend time with them, too. Those boys are part of our family now. They bear my name. We want to make sure that they know and the two of you know that they are part of this family."

Michael was a little surprised. "Mom…Dad, I don't really know what to say. I mean I think I speak for me and Rose when I say that means a lot to both of us."

Rose nodded in agreement. "My boys…their biological father and that side of their family tree has nothing to do with their lives. From the time they were born all they've had were me and my family."

Sonny said, "Well, now they have us, too. We might be dysfunctional but there is a lot love in the Corinthos family….a lot."

"Well, then we accept. This past week we've been dropping the boys off at my father's house and sometimes with my mother if she isn't working. I just decided to take a summer internship position at ELQ. Michael and I were thinking about enrolling them into daycare. But I really like the idea of Nicolas and Roman getting to know you guys and spending time with Josslyn," said Rose.

Carly beamed. "Good. Then it is settled. You two can drop the boys off at MetroCourt in the morning before school. And there are a lot of benefits for the boys being with Mercedes. You know that they are going to get that individual attention they wouldn't receive in a room full of children, if you have things to do after school it won't matter if you can't pick those boys up on time, and their grandmother and grandfather get to spoil them rotten."

Michael laughed. "Wait, I don't know if that last one is a good thing or a bad thing."

Sonny smiled and said, "It is a good thing for the boys."

Michael shook his head in disbelief. "Thank you, both, for everything you've been doing for us. I know that you weren't really thrilled to begin with but you've really helped us get settled into our new lives. You've made the transition a lot easier than it could have been."

"Well, it is like you said, Michael, we could be against you and you'd do it anyway. Or we could support you and try to help make things easier. Who are were to judge? When Sonny and I first got married we didn't even get married for the right reasons…I think you two have started out on a better foot than Sonny and I ever did."

Michael quirked an eyebrow at Carly. "Why did the two of you get married the first time?"

Sonny chuckled softly. "One of your mother's ill-fated plans landed me in hot water with the local law enforcement. Alexis said that I had to marry Carly so that she couldn't testify against me."

Carly smiled looking at Sonny. "That was the excuse we used to get married but not the reason. We were both madly in love with one another. We were just too stubborn to admit it to each other or to ourselves. I am glad that the two of you are smarter than we ever were."

Rose said, "I am lucky. You two have raised Michael well. He is a good husband and father."

Michael said, "Well, I learned how to be a good father from my dad. I grew up knowing that I wasn't your biological kid but I never felt that. I never felt different. I knew that you loved me and that I was your son. I want to give Roman and Nicolas the same feeling."

Sonny smiled with a hint of pride. "And you will. So, did my security guy help you with everything here?"

"He did a great job. We were lucky that the house was already wired with a security system. He just had to tap into it to update some of the wiring and put security censors in some new places. We have censors on the windows now and a back-up generator that kicks on if the power is cut. Thank you for paying for the security upgrade, Dad."

Sonny smiled. "You are welcome. I just want to be sure that this house is safe. Franco is still on the loose for the time being."

* * *

Michael, Morgan, and Xavier carried boxes of presents into the family room where Rose and the girls were set up and waiting.

Molly said, "So, my system is that we should unwrap all of the gifts and save the gift tags that came with them. On the back of the tag we can write what the gift was and then sort the piles into family, friends, and 'business associates'. I'll make a list and we can color code."

"That is a great idea, Molly. I feel terrible that it has taken us this long to get started on the thank you notes. I want to thank all of you for helping us," said Rose.

Xavier flopped onto a throw pillow on the floor and grabbed a nacho from the platter on the table. "No big deal. I like hanging out with you guys."

Morgan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too. It is a lot of fun and in a couple of months you guys won't be here anymore."

Michael had a seat next to Rose on the floor so that he could use the coffee table to write. "I know that it will be weird with us being away at college but I promise that we are going to come home to visit two weekends a month. We'll come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And we are just a phone call away if you ever want to talk."

Morgan said, "I will want to talk. I'm starting high school in the fall. I am not ready."

Molly nodded in agreement as she sorted through presents with the girls. "I am not ready either. I just mastered junior high school. Now I have to start all over again."

Kristina laughed. "Well, we are having to start all over again, too. I mean we are going off to college, living on our own, meeting new people, and making new friends. We'll all be starting over together."

Morgan said, "But you guys won't be here. Krissy, you'll be in New Haven. Michael and Rose are going to be in Manhattan."

Rose smiled and said, "That is why the three of you are so lucky. You three are going to start high school together. At least this way you know that no matter what happens you've got friends. Stick together and you'll be fine."

"Exactly, that is what Krissy and I did. We hung out together and it didn't really matter how many other people wanted to hang out with us or not. The most important thing is to just be yourself and make good grades. All three of you are smart. I know that it will happen," said Michael.

Morgan said, "I guess that is true. I hang out with Molly and Xavier now and it is great fun. So, my best friends are my cousin and my brother-in-law."

Xavier laughed. "Your awesomely cool brother-in-law!"

Michael laughed listening to them. He looked over at Rose and said, "I am going to miss this."

She nodded. "Me too."

Molly said, "Wow, this crystal set looks amazing. I am scared to pick the box up."

Michael chuckled and stood up from the floor. "I'll get that. Who is it from?"

Molly read the card. "Constantino Marino."

She wrote the gift on the card and slid it over to Kristina and Rose.

Rose said, "Oh! That is the Waterford. Michael, can you put that in the hall closet. I'll take everything out of the box and put it in the china cabinet tomorrow."

Michael said, "Alright."

The group worked together for two hours laughing and talking.

There was a knock on the door.

Michael was in the middle of writing a thank you note. "Morgan, will you get that for me?"

Morgan hopped up and went to the front door. He peered out seeing Johnny and Ethan. He unlocked the door and let them in. "Hi."

Johnny smiled warmly at Morgan. "Hey, Morgan, where is Michael?"

Ethan said, "Hey."

Morgan yelled, "Michael! Johnny and Ethan are here!"

Michael laughed and yelled back. "We're in the family room! Come through!"

Johnny closed and locked the door behind them. They followed Morgan into the family room. Johnny whistled. "Your families didn't spare any expense, huh?"

Michael said, "Not at all. We've finally made a dent in all of the gifts. I thought we'd be done by now."

Johnny chuckled and asked, "How long did this take you?"

Rose said, "A couple of hours."

He chuckled. "Looks like you still have a couple more to go."

Michael said, "I know we were supposed to talk tonight. I can take a break from this. My lovely bride doesn't mind, right?"

She smirked. "Not at all. I won't seal the envelopes that way you can sign them later."

"Let's go to my office. We can have some privacy there," Michal offered.

Johnny nodded.

Ethan said, "Uh, I'll meet you two there in a minute."

Johnny glanced at Ethan and then Kristina and chuckled. "Alright."

Kristina said, "I'll be right back guys."

She took his hand and walked into the living room.

"I am glad that you are here. I thought you were going to be stuck with Alexis all day."

"I'm sorry about that. Mom sprung the shopping trip on me. We went shopping for stuff for my dorm this fall. I haven't had the heart to tell her yet."

"About which thing?" asked Ethan.

"About anything really. I don't want to hurt my parents. I know this is going to tick them off. I just think this the right decision for me…for us."

Ethan was starting to wonder if Kristina was stalling because she was having second thoughts. He knew what they were doing was a big commitment for an 18 year old.

"I just want you to be sure about this, Kristina. I don't want you to look back one day and regret the choices you are making. I just want you to be certain." He kissed her forehead and went to join Johnny and Michael in the office.

Kristina frowned watching him walk away. She walked into the family room. "Rose, can I see you in the living room?"

Rose looked up seeing the look on Kristina's face. "Uh, sure, Krissy. I'll be right back guys."

The two young women slipped into the living room to get some privacy. Kristina gave a nervous chuckle. "Can I live with you and Michael?"

Rose's mouth dropped open slightly. "Why? I thought you were moving in with Ethan."

"Ethan and I realized that we were rushing to move in together because my parents won't allow me to see him. We are rushing because we don't want to have to sneak around forever. If I am living somewhere else then I don't have to sneak around and I don't have to rush my relationship to a place that I may not be ready for it to go. I love Ethan but living with him is a big step," said Kristina.

"I can't just say yes to this, Krissy. I have to talk Michael and see what he thinks."

"There's more. Johnny told Ethan a couple of weeks ago that he wants him to go to the city when Michael goes. Show him the ropes and keep him safe. I realized then that it was perfect."

"Perfect how?" asked Rose.

"Yale is only 90 minutes outside of the city. Instead of living on campus with a bunch of people I don't know. I could stay in Manhattan with you and Michael," said Kristina.

"And Ethan."

She nodded. "And Ethan. I know that what I am asking is an imposition. You guys are newlyweds and you don't want me hanging around but I promise I will stay out of your hair. I'll babysit when you need me to. I am a decent cook. I'll contribute money to the household."

"You don't have to sell me on the idea, Krissy. I just need to talk it over with Michael."

Kristina frowned. "You aren't telling me what you think. I just want to know if you think that I am crazy."

"No, I think that you are playing a difficult hand in a smart way. You love Ethan. You want to be with him, but you guys have only been dating a couple of months. Moving in together is rash and could potentially end the relationship. But at the same time you are an adult and you shouldn't have to sneak around to have a relationship with the person you love. Moving out of your mother's house gives you that freedom. I get it."

"Do you think Michael will get it?"

"I think that he is going to be thrilled. He was worried about you moving in with Ethan so quickly. I'll talk to him tonight after everyone leaves. One of us will call you when we know our answer," said Rose.


	22. Chapter 22

Later that night Michael entered the lakehouse quietly as not to wake up Rose and the twins. He entered the security code and made sure the house was secure. Michael hated the fact that they were still under threat from Franco. The psychopath was known to drop out of sight for months or longer. And there was never any warning before he reappeared to cause chaos in everyone's lives.

As Michael got ready to head upstairs to bed he heard the television playing in the family room. He frowned since he'd figured that Rose would have gone to bed hours ago. Michael glanced at his watch and saw that it was 2:00 in the morning. "Rose?"

The young woman walked into the living room and shushed him. "Morgan and Xavier are asleep in there. They dozed off watching Iron Man with me. We had a little movie marathon."

He gave her a confused look.

"Oh, they begged me to spend the night. I okayed it with my mother and yours. Carly's only request was that we make sure Morgan makes it to 11:00 Mass in the morning. Which isn't a problem because your dad already talked us into going," said Rose.

Michael nodded and chuckled, "Don't forget that we have to go to my dad's house after Mass for lunch. I should have expected that Morgan and Xavier would want to stay over. They've been itching to spend the night since we moved in. I hate that I missed watching movies with them."

He walked into the family room and chuckled seeing the boys stretched out on the sectional couch. It would seem that his younger siblings weren't the only ones dreading their impending separation. Michael would miss being able to hang out with them at will.

Rose walked to the linen closet and grabbed a couple blankets. Although it was nearly summer with the A/C running it could get chilly in the house. She returned to the family room with the blankets in hand.

Michael smiled and said, "I'll do it."

He covered each boy with a blanket, turned off the television, and walked out of the room with Rose.

As they walked up to bed Rose said, "Morgan was very insistent on you making the world's best pancakes in the morning. I can't wait to taste these famous pancakes."

Michael walked into their bedroom and laughed. "I don't know if they are the world's best but they are the first real food I learned how to make. My dad taught me before he and my mom got divorced. He knew that she couldn't cook and he said that at least I'd always be able to make real food for me and Morgan. So he taught me how to make pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Dad said to always cut up fresh fruit to go with the pancakes. "

Rose took off her bathrobe and sat on her side of the king sized bed. "It sounds delicious. How come you haven't made this world famous breakfast for me? I feel a little jealous."

Michael started getting undressed. He felt exhausted. His day had been non-stop. "It was. Well, you've had part of the breakfast before. That scrambled egg dish I make is part of it."

She perked up and asked, "The one with the mushrooms, onions, and cheese?"

"That'd be the one. It was Dad's way of making sure we had a complete meal once a day. That breakfast covers all of the major food groups. I wouldn't mind making it in the morning. It sounds pretty good right now," said Michael. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth for the night.

Rose scooted back onto the bed and asked, "How did things go with Johnny tonight?"

It was a question that had been on her mind all evening. She backed Michael's decision to work with Johnny but that didn't mean she was without fear or reservations. Michael already had a felony on his record. If he was arrested doing something illegal there would be very little leniency coming his way. It didn't help that he was Sonny Corinthos' son.

Michael walked out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth and had a seat on the bed. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "It wasn't bad. I got a tour of the betting room that Johnny has over the club. He showed me how we track who owes what. It was a fairly standard set up. Not much different from what my dad and Jason have set up. He gave me a cell phone so that I can start taking bets now. The cell phone is pretty well encrypted. I got to meet his odds maker tonight too."

Rose smiled seeing how animated Michael became as he talked about his evening. He was trying to down play his excitement but it was plain as day. "I am glad to hear it was all a success. Not that I ever doubted you. I know that Michael Corinthos, III is going to do whatever he puts his mind to."

Michael laid back against the pillows and said, "I am just glad that Johnny is giving me a chance. No one else was going to do that. I owe him a lot."

Rose cuddled up to Michael's side and said, "You aren't the only one benefiting from this relationship, Michael. Johnny is lucky to have you on the payroll. And it is because of his association with you that he has more access to the waterfront."

He chuckled and said, "I know that he is and I am going to make sure that he knows it too. I think he really liked playing the mentor tonight. Johnny really wanted me to go to the warehouse with him in the morning but I told him we were going to Mass and lunch with my family. He asked Ethan to take my place. Come to think of it Ethan was acting a little weird tonight. He was quieter than I've ever seen him before."

She tried to stifle a chuckle and rested her head on Michael's chest.

Michal playfully tickled her side. "Okay…what's going on? You know something I don't know?"

Rose sat up in bed and said, "Actually, I sort of need to talk to you about something. Krissy talked to me tonight about something important. She's come up with an ingenious plan and really wants her big brother to sign off on it."

Michael raised an eyebrow and sat up against the headboard. He ran a hand across his blond hair and asked, "What has Krissy gotten herself into this time?"

"It is nothing like that. In fact I think that she is making the mature decision in this situation."

"I'd like to believe that but you are making me nervous with all of the stalling for time. What did Krissy ask you tonight?"

Rose said, "She doesn't want to move in with Ethan right out of high school. She's scared that it will push their relationship too far too quickly. Kristina really loves Ethan and she wants this relationship to be permanent. You know, she wouldn't mind being Mrs. Lovett one day."

A look of relief passed over Michael's face. He'd been concerned that Kristina was getting in over her head. She never thought things through before doing them and most of the time she got her heartbroken or worse.

"That is the best news I've heard all night. I am glad that she rethought the whole thing. And I guess that explains why Ethan was acting weird at the club. I don't think he cracked one joke all night."

Rose frowned slightly. "Well, that isn't everything. Instead of moving in with Ethan she'd like to move in with us…not just here in Port Charles but when she goes off to college as well."

Michael looked at Rose with a dumbfounded expression. He didn't know what to think about the proposal. "Why?"

"Kristina figures that she can really date Ethan and not worry about sneaking around if she isn't living with Alexis. More to the point, Johnny has asked Ethan to move to the city when we leave for college. If she's staying with us then she'd still be dating Ethan and it wouldn't be a long distance relationship. After you guys left she pulled up the route she'd have to take to commute to college and it is about a 90 minute drive from the city to campus."

Michel just started laughing.

"Michael?"

He laughed harder and leaned his head against the tufted leather headboard. "How does she get you to ask me these things, Rose? First, you asked me to support her dating and moving in with Ethan. Now, she's got you asking me to let her move in with us."

Rose laughed a little. "I am a sucker for the whole sister thing, I think. I grew up with all boys. Besides, I really like that Kristina likes me. I know how important your family is to you. And more important than all of that…I don't want to see Kristina get hurt by rushing into living with Ethan. You know she is too stubborn to admit defeat if it doesn't work out. "

"Don't feel too bad. I am not known for saying no to Kristina. She is my little sister and I just want her to be happy. She's been through so much. Krissy deserves to be happy."

He scrubbed at his face and gave the situation some thought.

"If we say no…Kristina is just going to move in with Ethan. You know how your sister thinks. No matter how this happens it is going to be a major fallout. At least if she is living with us it'll soften the blow for her parents. And you can keep an eye on Ethan and give him threatening big brother looks."

"Oh…you mean like that one your brother, Mateo, gave me when he walked into the guest house and found me kissing you on the couch?" asked Michael.

She smirked. "That's the one. I am so glad that we don't have to be worried about anyone walking in on us anymore."

Michael said, "I like that we don't have to worry about that anymore too. I like having more alone time with my beautiful wife."

"Well, I like that I have more time alone with my handsome husband. I just wish I could get over this cold," said Rose.

He nodded and said, "I heard you throwing up yesterday afternoon. Maybe you should see a doctor. We don't want it to be something you could pass on to the kids."

Rose said, "Well, you have a point there. The last thing I want is for Nicolas and Roman to get sick. I'll call Dr. Roth's office on Monday and see about getting an appointment. Now can we talk about Krissy? I really think that this is the right decision and I'd really like having Kristina living with us. We aren't going to know anyone in the city."

"Fine…it would be nice having Krissy closer. I was actually worried about her living on campus and having to deal with pervy older guys. At least now I only have to worry about one pervy older guy."

Rose laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "You know that Ethan would never hurt her. He really does love Kristina."

"I know…it is just my overprotective nature that makes me want to strangle him when I see him near my sister but to be honest that would be any guy. I liked Taylor well enough but I didn't like seeing him too close," said Michael.

"Well, it is a brother's job to look out for his younger sister. It is like in the big brother handbook you guys are given. Thou shall not let a guy get too close to thy baby sister."

"I need my family to branch out a little. Dante is dating my cousin, Lulu. Kristina is dating Ethan. Also, my cousin," said Michael.

She chuckled. "It isn't their fault that you are literally related to like half the people in Port Charles, baby."

He kissed her softly and said, "I'm lucky that you moved to Port Charles or I might have never found a wife."

She giggled. "You are very lucky that I have a thing for brooding blonds. I might have found another perfect man to spend the rest of my life with."

He shook his head. "You were made for me, Rose Corinthos, and I was made for you. We might have found other people but we wouldn't love them like we love each other."

Rose's eyes sparkled looking at the man she absolutely adored. She rested her hands on either side of Michael's face and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. Afterward Rose grabbed her cell phone from the night stand and called Kristina.

Michael asked, "What are you doing?"

"I am calling Kristina. She wanted me to call her when I had an answer from you," said Rose. She put the phone on speaker and waited for Kristina to pick up.

Michael laughed and shook his head incredulously. "You can't wait until the morning to call her? I was thinking that I was going to get some alone time with my wife. We haven't had more than a few minutes alone all day."

Rose giggled. "Awww…poor baby are you feeling neglected already? We haven't even been married 6 months yet. Am I being a bad wife?" She leaned over and kissed him softly.

Michael chuckled against her lips. "Mmm…that is better."

Kristina cleared her throat on the line and asked, "Could you two not make out while I am on the phone? It is kinda weird."

Michael jerked backward. "Krissy!"

Kristina laughed and said, "Yes…you called me."

Rose laughed along with Kristina. "You should see how red he is turning right now!"

"Oh! Are his ears going red too? That is how you know he's really embarrassed."

Rose craned her neck trying to get a look at Michael's ears. "Oh, yeah! They are bright red."

Michael shook his head and exclaimed, "Hey! Be nice to me or I will change my mind about letting you move in with us."

The line went silent as Kristina stopped laughing immediately. She paused for a beat. "Are you serious, Michael? I can move in with you and Rose?"

"Yes, we'd love to have you staying with us. This way I can keep an eye on you," said Michael.

"Oh my God! Thank you! You won't regret saying yes. I am going to be the best roommate ever. I already told Rose that I'd help baby-sit the boys, I'll clean, and I'll cook."

Michael laughed. "Krissy, I've tasted your food. You can only live with us if you promise never to cook."

"I make really good tuna sandwiches! Just ask Molly," Kristina insisted.

"Tuna is not considered cooking. It comes out of a packet and you add mayo."

Rose chuckled listening to the siblings go back and forth.

"Not just mayo! I add sweet relish, onions, boiled eggs, and mustard!"

Michael chuckled and said, "You can make all the tuna salad you want but don't cook anything. So when do you want to move in?"

Kristina laughed at Michael. "I am going to prove you wrong one of these days. And then you will have to eat crow. I think I want to keep my plans the same. I want to move out the same weekend as graduation. Maybe I can start bringing over some of my boxes now…"

"Sure, that is fine with me. Do you need my help moving?" asked Michael.

"Not right now. It will be easier moving the little stuff without Mom noticing. If she sees you carrying out boxes she is bound to get a little suspicious," Kristina said jokingly.

"Point taken. Well, just let me know if you need anything. I am happy to help. Now, can I go back to making out with my wife?"

"Gross…but sure. Have at it. Thanks for asking him, Rose."

"You're welcome, Kristina."

Michael said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Krissy. Night."

"Good night, guys."

Rose ended the call and smiled at Michael. "Now don't you feel like the superhero big brother?"

Michael kissed Rose and chuckled. "No, I feel like I am going to be outsmarted by my wife and sister on a regular basis."

She titled her head and grinned at him innocently. "You are probably right about that."

* * *

The next day after Mass everyone met up at Sonny's house for a family lunch. It was a celebration to welcome Josslyn into the Corinthos family. All of Sonny's children and their respective mothers were in attendance. It was truly a family affair and the mob boss couldn't be happier.

Michael was seated out on the patio watching his father stand at the grill while Carly pestered him. He knew that Sonny was never happier than when he was surrounded by his family. For once everyone was on speaking terms at the same time.

The family was scattered throughout Sonny's spacious backyard. Dante and Lulu were seated out near the fire pit drinking wine and talking to Alexis and Olivia.

Sam, Kristina, and Rose were at the newly installed play structure with Josslyn. The little girl was squealing in delight while Kristina pushed her on the swing.

Morgan and Molly were chasing Nicolas and Roman around the backyard. They were supposed to be playing tag. However, it was mostly just the boys running and laughing.

Jason walked over and had a seat across from Michael. "How is everything going?"

"School is good. I love working at ELQ. I've decided to take Rose to prom. She's pretty excited about that. She can't wait to go dress shopping with Krissy this week. How are things with you and Sam?" asked Michael.

"I am sure Carly will be thrilled to hear that you are going to prom. She wants you to have those types of experiences. None of us really do. I mean…I am sure I went to prom but I have no memory of it. Sam is doing great. She had a check up with Dr. Lee on Friday. We found out that we're having a boy."

Michael smiled. He was truly happy for Jason. It had been a long time coming for the man to actually find some semblance of happiness. "Congratulations, Jason. I'm really happy for you and Sam."

Jason nodded and said, "Thanks. There was a time when we didn't think Sam would be able to get pregnant and then it just happened. We're really lucky."

"I know that feeling. After serving time in Pentonville I thought I'd never have a normal life. I mean not that I'd ever really had a normal life up to that point but…you know what I mean. Now…I feel like anything is possible."

Jason smiled. He'd always hoped that Michael would have a good life. It was comforting to see that the young man was well on his way to that. "You deserve it. Ready to graduate?"

Michael nodded. "I'm excited for college but I will miss being in Port Charles. I'll miss being able to see my family.

Carly walked over to the table and smiled. "You won't have to miss us that much. You'll come home on weekends and you never know when Sonny and I might pop into the city to see you."

Michael quirked an eyebrow at that thought.

Jason chuckled and shook his head. Carly loved her kids to the point of suffocation.

"I'll make sure that Carly doesn't make too many trips, Michael," said Sonny.

Carly chuckled at Sonny's empty promise. She intended to visit as much as humanly possible.

Sonny looked over and said, "Michael could you do a favor for me. There is a platter of steaks and some sausages wrapped in butcher paper in the refrigerator. I need to get those on the grill now that the ribs are done."

"Sure, Dad." Michael went into the kitchen to get more meat for Sonny to grill. The mob boss had a truly impressive spread planned for the lunch. It was obvious how proud he was that Josslyn was his daughter.

As Michael was about to walk back outside his cell phone started ringing. He frowned because everyone that would be calling him was already at the house. Michael set the platter of steaks down on the counter and pulled out the phone. Johnny's face was smiling up at him from the screen.

"Hey, Johnny. What's going on?" asked Michael.

Johnny was breathing heavy. "Michael, I need your help. Everything went bad at the warehouse. I barely got Ethan and myself out of there alive. I managed to get the two of us to a safehouse."

"What happened? Are the two of you okay?" asked Michael.

"I don't have time to talk about what happened right now. We were ambushed. Ethan and I were both shot. We can't go to a hospital because we don't know who's after us. We need medical supplies…anything you can get your hands on. And we need it now. I'll text you directions to the safehouse," said Johnny.

Michael was stunned into silence momentarily. He quickly snapped out of it. "I'm at my Dad's house for a family lunch. It will take some maneuvering to duck out unseen. I know you don't want him involved. I'll be there as soon as I can, Johnny. I'll make sure you have all of the medical supplies that you need."

"Thanks, Michael."

Michael ended the call and shoved his cell phone into his pocket. He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. Michael was wondering if this move against Johnny was Sonny's doing. He picked up the platter and carried it outside. "Here you go, Dad. I can't wait to taste one of these steaks. They look amazing."

Sonny smiled proudly. "I sent Milo to my old butcher in Bensonhurst. I've never met a better butcher than him in all my years. That man works magic with a knife."

"You worked at the butcher's market before you worked for Joe Scully, right?" asked Michael.

"Yeah, I did. I can't believe you remember me telling you that. I was the delivery boy for the butcher. It was a nice way to make a little money around the neighborhood."

Michael smiled. "You'll have to tell me more about that sometime. I am going to see how Rose and the boys are doing."

He walked out to the koi pond where Rose and Kristina were trying to keep the boys from diving in head first. They really wanted to catch one of the fish.

Nicolas grinned at Michael. "Yook, fishies!"

Michael chuckled and said, "I know. They are pretty fishies, huh?"

Nicolas nodded excitedly. He opened and closed his hand looking at the fish. "Wanna hold it."

Roman nodded in agreement. "Me too. Pretty!"

Michael chuckled and ruffled their hair. "Not right now, guys. Rose, I need to talk to you."

Rose didn't like the sound of Michael's voice. She nodded slightly. "Krissy, can you keep an eye on the boys?"

Kristina nodded. "Sure."

Rose and Michael walked away to get some privacy. She folded her arms nervously over her chest. "What's going on, Michael?"

"Johnny called me. He and Ethan were shot at the warehouse this morning. They've gone to a safehouse and need my help. They need medical supplies," said Michael.

Rose's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. You were supposed to be there this morning with them. If we hadn't agreed to go to Mass…"

"I know but we don't have time to think about that right now. I've got to go. They need my help. I am going to slip out of here," said Michael.

"Sonny has the security tightened today because all of us are here. And because we were one of the first to arrive you are probably blocked in by someone. How are you going to get out of here without being seen?" asked Rose.

Michael said, "My mom's car isn't here which means it is at her house. Her place isn't far from here. I'll jump over the back fence, run over to my Mom's house, and borrow her car. I need your help distracting the guards so that I can hop the fence."

Rose chewed at her lip nervously.

"Baby, please…" He took her into his arms and hugged her tight.

Rose sighed and said, "Make sure you come back to me in one piece or Johnny will wish that he was killed this morning."

Michael chuckled softly. He removed two keys from his key ring and handed the rest of the keys to Rose. "I'll be sure to relay the message."

"I'll go in the house and open the bathroom window on the second floor. Your mom said that Sonny just had them wired because Josslyn and Morgan have been spending so much time here. That should send the guards running."

Michael said, "Thanks."

Rose kissed him passionately. "I love you, Michael Corinthos. Don't you go making me a widow."

Michael said, "I wouldn't dream of it."

He watched Rose disappear into the house and tried not to draw attention to himself as he edged closer to the back of the expansive property.

Rose moved quickly up the stairs and ran into one of the guest bathrooms. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes trying to calm down. Her stomach was in knots thinking about the danger Michael might be walking into. "You can do this. Just open the window so that Michael can get away," said Rose, giving herself a much needed pep talk.

She raised the bathroom window and the security alarm began to go off.

Outside all hell broke loose when the security alarm started going off. Sonny's guards rushed toward the house. Jason and Sonny dropped what they were doing and rushed into the house to investigate.

The rest of Michael's family tried to corral the children to protect them from the unseen threat.

Michael took that as his chance and jumped the back fence. He ran full speed toward Carly's house. Michael was glad that it wasn't too far away. He didn't want to keep Johnny and Ethan waiting any longer than he had to.

Inside the house Sonny, Jason, and the guards approached the bathroom on the second floor cautiously. Jason and Sonny had their guns drawn and Max opened the door and stepped out of the way.

Sonny was shocked to see Rose kneeling in front of the toilet throwing up. He quickly put the safety on his gun and motioned for the guards to fall back. "Rose?"

Jason looked to Max and said, "Kill the alarm and go tell everyone that everything is okay. It was just a false alarm."

Rose groaned and reached up flushing the toilet. She stood on shaky legs and said, "I'm sorry about the alarm. The smell was getting to me and I opened the window without thinking."

Sonny walked into the bathroom. "That's okay. Are you sick?"

"I don't know. I guess I might be coming down with something. I've been feeling sick for the last week. I think I might have caught a bug at school or something," said Rose.

Jason's brows knitted together in concern. "Do you want me to send someone to get Michael?"

Rose shook his head. "No, vomit kind of grosses him out. I don't want to make him sick from smelling it. Speaking of which I'd really like to rinse this taste out of my mouth."

Sonny nodded and said, "Sure. We'll give you some privacy."

"And I'll close this window. I'm really sorry about this, Sonny," said Rose. She closed the bathroom window and gave a sheepish smile.

"It is fine. Don't worry about it, sweetheart," said Sonny.

Jason and Sonny walked out of the bathroom and headed downstairs.


	23. Chapter 23

Michael ran the short distance to Carly's house. He hopped over the fence in her backyard and looked around to be sure that he wasn't seen. However, the houses in this neighborhood weren't particularly close together and it was a Sunday so most people were occupied with their families.

He unlocked the back door and slipped into Carly's house silently. He would need to gather a few supplies before going to meet Johnny and Ethan.

Michael grabbed two duffel bags, a jacket, a baseball cap, and sunglasses from his old bedroom and quickly ran down the hall to his mother's room. He went into her bathroom and cleaned out all of her first aid supplies. Carly always kept them on hand because she never knew when something bad might happen. That was a lesson she'd picked up while married to Sonny.

Michael wasn't keen on the idea of going to find Johnny and Ethan without having a weapon. He didn't know who was after them and he wasn't ready to be a casualty. Michael knew his parents well enough to know that they were seeing one another again even if they were keeping it a secret. That meant that Sonny was sleeping over on occasions.

He knew that meant his father had left a gun there for protection. Sonny was nothing if not a creature of habit. Michael glanced around the room thinking about his mother and father. He could almost hear them arguing about the placement of the gun. His eyes settled on the vanity in Carly's room. He tried to open the top drawer and smiled realizing that it was locked. "Jackpot."

Michael grabbed a bobby pin from Carly's bathroom and kneeled on the floor so that he could pick the lock on the vanity. After a little effort he was able to open the drawer and there was Sonny's gun. Michael grabbed the gun, made sure the safety was on, and tucked it into the duffel bag.

Afterward he went downstairs to the kitchen to collect food. He didn't know how well equipped Johnny kept his safehouses.

Michael surveyed everything in his duffel bags and then raided Carly's liquor cabinet. All he had was ibuprofen. They would do nothing to dull the pain of being shot. However, expensive brandy and bourbon would get you drunk enough to not really care.

The young man tossed a few more provisions into the duffel bags before grabbing Carly's spare car keys, locking up the house, and heading into the garage. He tossed the bags into the back of the car and opened the garage.

Michael cautiously backed out and smiled seeing that there was no one waiting for him in the driveway. Either, Rose's ruse was successful or she'd refused to tell them his whereabouts.

He closed the garage and then took off toward the pharmacy. The supplies from Carly's house were nice but he needed more. He didn't really know the extent of Johnny and Ethan's injuries.

Michael drove toward the pharmacy on Sutton Street. It was a particularly seedy part of town and his purchases would be less likely to attract unwanted attention. He was always mindful of the fact that he was Sonny Corinthos' son. There were eyes all over Port Charles that would report back to the mob boss if they saw Michael in a questionable location.

He parked in front of the store and put on the baseball hat, sunglasses, and jacket. Michael locked the car to make sure no one made off with the car or his supplies. He quietly slipped into the store and picked up a handheld basket. He went around the store picking up extra supplies and some things that Carly just didn't have at her house. Michael was sure to keep his head down as he moved around the store. He hoped that the hat and sunglasses were enough to keep him incognito.

After he finished picking up everything he walked up to the counter.

The cashier glanced at his appearance but didn't make mention of it. In her time working there she'd seen stranger things come through the store. She rung up his purchases and said, "Your total is $78.89."

Michael took five twenties out of his wallet and handed the money to the woman. "Keep the change, miss. "

He left the store with his bagged purchases and hopped back into the car. Michael took out his cell phone and looked at the text Johnny sent with directions to the safehouse. Michael frowned realizing that the safehouse was 30 minutes away.

Michael drove just over the speed limit hoping to get to the house quicker. He kept glancing at his cell phone to keep up with the directions. He wasn't familiar with this area and the last thing he wanted to do was get lost.

A little less than 30 minutes later Michael arrived at cabin set back in the woods. He recognized Johnny's car parked out front and knew that he was in the right place.

Michael climbed out of the car, collected all of the supplies, and walked up to the front door. He took Sonny's gun from the duffel bag not sure what he was walking into. He knocked. "Johnny?"

Johnny opened the door looking pale and out of breath. One hand was clutching a dirty rag to his left arm. "Michael, I am glad to see you."

Michael walked into the cabin carrying the duffel bags. He closed and locked the door behind him and set the gun on top of a bookcase near the door.

Johnny staggered over to the couch and all but collapsed.

The younger man walked over setting the duffel bags on the floor. "How can I help you?"

"I am not the one that needs help. I was shot in the arm but it was a clean shot. The bullet went right through my arm. It didn't hit any bone. I just need to clean and bandage it. I am in more pain because of cracked ribs. Those bastards tuned me up before the shooting started," said Johnny through gritted teeth.

Michael started removing supplies from the bag so that he could get started. "You don't need the help? How bad off is Ethan?"

John shook his head and said, "Bad. He got shot three times: left arm, left shoulder, and right leg. He's got a bullet in his shoulder and leg. The bullets are probably what is keeping him from bleeding out. Come on…I'll show you."

Michael walked into one of the bedrooms with Jonny and frowned seeing Ethan laying on the bed.

Ethan Lovett was unconscious and sweating profusely.

Michael shook his head. "Sweating like that means he has an infection. That's bad news. He's going to need a real doctor and maybe a hospital."

"I've got help on the way. I couldn't call my normal guy for help because there is too much of a chance that he's been compromised. I think my father is the one that went after me this morning."

Michael asked, "You think Anthony is behind this?"

Johnny nodded and dropped into a chair near the door. "I think he was tipped off. The renewed truce with Sonny and I've been spending a lot more time with you. Not to mention I've been talking to all our contacts letting them know to only do business with me. Anthony has been in the game long enough to see the writing on the wall."

"You really think your own father would try to kill you?" asked Michael.

"It wouldn't be the first time. That's why I couldn't call my regular doctor. Anthony knows most of my connections. However, I know a veterinarian that used to be friends with Claudia. She's a good person and agreed to help. Her name is Eden. She's on her way, but she's all the way in Seneca Falls. That's almost two hours away from here. We just need to keep him alive until Eden gets here."

Michael paused as he tried to clean Ethan's gunshot wounds. "You said that Anthony knows most of your connections. Does he know about this cabin?"

"No, this isn't actually my safehouse. It belongs to Luke. Ethan suggested that we come here before he passed out. It is under one of Luke's aliases."

* * *

Kristina knocked on the door of the guest bedroom before walking into the room. She came prepared with ginger ale and saltine crackers. She smiled and said, "Dad told us that you weren't feeling well. I decided to see if any of this would help you."

Rose sat up in the bed looking exhausted. She smiled slightly. "Thanks, Krissy. I really appreciate it. I don't think I will throw up again. There's nothing left in my stomach to throw up. How are the boys?"

"You don't need to worry about Nicolas and Roman. Sam is playing with them and Josslyn. She's calling it experience for when her little boy is born. So you think you caught something in school? My dad said that you mentioned some bug that is going around."

Kristina paused and looked around the room curiously. "Uh, where is Michael? He wasn't outside or downstairs so Dad assumed he was up here with you."

Rose frowned slightly. She didn't like the idea of outright lying to Kristina. Michael's younger sister had become a close friend. However, there was no way she'd betray her husband's confidence by telling Kristina where he was. In fact, knowing the emotional young woman it would probably set her off.

Rose offered a warm smile and said, "Michael went to the store to get me something for the nausea. I am sure that he'll be back soon."

Kristina said, "Oh, well that is good. You know when Dad said that you were sick. I thought maybe you might be…"

"Be what?" asked Rose. She quirked an eyebrow at Kristina. The idea had occurred to her but she was unwilling accept it as a possibility.

Kristina blushed as she realized that Rose was going to make her spell it out. She cleared her throat and had a seat on the bed. "Well, you know when two people love each other very much they take off their clothes, put on Bruno Mars, and…"

Rose burst into laughter and flopped back against the pillows. "Kristina!"

She shrugged and smiled innocently. "What? I thought you were asking me to explain the birds and the bees to you. I was totally gonna do it. But I figured you were already really familiar with the birds and the bees considering you have two sons. Not to mention you were making out with my older brother when you called me last night. So…are you pregnant?"

Rose shook her head and said, "I hadn't really given it any thought. Michael and I are really careful. Most of the time." She chewed at her bottom lip and shook her head.

"Most of the time?!"

"I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous because I am already a MTV special. Normally, Michael and I are careful but there have been a couple of times that precautions went out of the window."

Kristina pulled an iPhone from her pocket and pulled up a calendar. "Well, when were these couple of times. Maybe we can rule out pregnancy."

Rose groaned and put a pillow over her face for a minute. This was the last thing she needed. She sat up in the bed and said, "Okay the first time is out of the question. It was the night Franco cut the brakes on Michael's car. We nearly died and…well."

Kristina nodded and said, "Okay that was not long after Dad married Brenda. I think we'd notice if you'd been pregnant that long."

Rose wracked her brain thinking for another instance of their irresponsibility. "The night of our mostly ruined engagement party and the day that Michael went after Franco and came up empty handed. Those are the only times that we forgot."

Kristina quickly counted up the days and frowned. "Well, it's possible. We should WebMD your symptoms. Maybe you've got something else."

She groaned and put the pillow back over her face. More than anything she wished Michael was there to have this conversation. She adored Kristina but was not enjoying figuring out date of conception with her. Rose and Michael both wanted more children but that was farther off into the future. Hopefully, after both of them finished college. She could hear Kristina babbling but the girl sounded far off in the distance.

Kristina went silent and waited for Rose to emerge from her hiding place. She was oblivious at times but this wasn't one of them. She'd thoroughly freaked out her poor sister-in-law.

After ten minutes she realized that Rose probably needed privacy. She lightly shook her leg and stood up. "I am going to go downstairs and have dessert. Dad had pastries delivered from this bakery in Bensonhurst. We'll talk later."

Kristina quietly left the room and headed back outside where everyone was still milling around, talking, and eating.

Sonny walked over to Kristina and asked, "How is Rose doing?"

"She's still not feeling too great but she hasn't gotten sick again so that is good. I took some ginger ale and crackers up to her," said Kristina.

"That is very sweet of you. I was thinking of taking dinner up to Michael but thought better of it. I didn't know if the smell would set Rose off," Sonny explained.

Jason walked up with a worried look on his face. "Sonny, I need to talk to you now. Bernie just called."

Sonny smiled at Kristina and kissed her cheek. "Could you excuse us, sweetheart?"

Kristina nodded slightly and said, "Sure. I am going to go talk to Sam."

Jason waited until the young woman was out of earshot and turned to Sonny. "Bernie just got word that Johnny's warehouse is on fire. The reports are that the place went up like a tinderbox."

"When?" asked Sonny.

"I don't know. The warehouse is still burning right now, but with its size the fire could have been burning inside for awhile before anyone took notice. It could be longer than that considering that it is a Sunday."

"Was anybody inside?" asked Sonny. He didn't like the implications of arson down on the docks. It brought too much attention to his operation. However, it also meant that there was an outside player pulling strings in Port Charles. Sonny was Johnny's only competition and they were under a cease fire for Michael's sake.

Jason shook his head and said, "I don't know. Bernie says that the police haven't even arrived on scene yet, but Johnny was supposed to be accepting a shipment from the Solietos this morning."

"That can't be a coincidence. Get a couple of our guys to poke around and I am going to try to get Michael to reach out to Johnny. I don't think he'll take my calls after his warehouse got torched. I don't want him to think that I had a hand in this."

Jason nodded and asked, "Where is Michael?"

"He's upstairs with Rose. I guess he decided to stick close because she was feeling so sick," said Sonny.

Just then Dante came running toward the house.

Sonny said, "Whoa! What's wrong, Dante?"

Dante said, "I'm sorry but I've got to go. Mac just called me in. There's a fire in the warehouse district. Can you make sure that Lulu gets home safely?"

He left out the part that it was Johnny Zacchara's warehouse. Dante knew he'd have to ask Sonny about his involvement later but right now he had other priorities.

Sonny frowned. He didn't like the idea that his son was about to run headlong into what could be a turf war. "I'll have Milo take Lulu home. Don't worry. Just be careful out there, Dante."

Dante nodded and said, "I'll try." He nodded toward Jason and continued into the house so that he could leave.

Sonny looked at Jason and said, "I want to know everything that happened today. I want to know who is behind this."

"We'll take care of whatever this is, Sonny."

"Good. I am going to go upstairs and get Michael. I want to see what he knows about what Johnny was doing this morning. And we need him to call Johnny and see if we can get any information from him," said Sonny.

Jason said, "I'll come with you." He knew that Michael was loyal to Johnny and wouldn't be eager to divulge any information in the same way that Jason would be unwilling to divulge any information about Sonny. He also knew that was bound to make Sonny mad. The older man was just barely tolerating Michael working for Johnny.

The two men headed into the house and up to the guestroom on the second floor.

Sonny knocked on the door. "Michael?"

Jason frowned at the silence from the other side of the door.

Sonny knocked harder this time. "Michael, it's important. Jason and I need to talk to you. It's about Johnny."

Again they waited for a response but got none.

Jason tried the door and found that it was locked and then he glanced at Sonny. He had a bad feeling about all of this. "Are we sure that Michael is up here?"

"Where else would he be? I haven't seen him outside since Rose got sick. I assumed that he was up here with her."

This information caused Jason some consternation. "I haven't seen Michael since before Rose set off the alarm. Carly told me that she was surprised Rose forgot so quickly that the upstairs windows had just been wired by Whitman. I don't think she accidentally set off the alarm… I think it was a distraction for Michael to leave."

Sonny's face paled at the realization. He walked down the stairs. "Max, go see if Michael's car is still outside. Milo, go get Sam and tell her to come here."

When Sonny returned to the guest room Jason asked, "Why are you asking for Sam?"

"Well, I don't feel right knowingly bursting in on my son's wife. I figured Sam could walk in first. I asked for Sam instead of Carly because I don't need her flipping out," said Sonny.

Jason nodded in understanding. Carly would be inconsolable if Michael wasn't there. There was a chance that he could have been in the warehouse when it went up in flames.

Sam came running up the stairs. "Sonny, what's going on? Milo said that you needed to see me immediately."

"We need you to go in the room and check on Rose. She isn't answering the door and I'm worried," said Sonny.

She frowned at him. "Sonny, now I don't believe that."

"I don't want to just burst in on Rose but I am worried that Michael might have left without telling anyone," said Sonny.

Max came thundering up the stairs, "Boss, Michael's car is still parked outside. He's blocked in by Alexis."

Jason said, "Maybe he left on foot then."

Sonny took a credit card out of his wallet and easily popped the lock on the bedroom door.

Sam pushed open the door and said, "She's decent but Michael isn't in here."

Sonny and Jason walked into the room and had a quick look around.

Jason walked over to the bed and said, "Rose, we need you to be honest with us. Michael left, didn't he?"

Rose bit her lip and tried to think of what to do. She glanced at her phone. She'd been trying to call Michael but he hadn't answered. Rose really didn't know what to say. "Michael went to the store to get me something for the nausea. I am sure that he'll be back soon."

Sonny said, "Rose, this is serious. Johnny's warehouse is on fire. We need to know if Michael was there when that happened. I know that you want to protect my son but he might be in real danger."

The young woman just clutched her cell phone praying that Michael would call her back soon. The truth was she was terrified. She had no idea where Michael was or if he was okay. Unfortunately, growing up in the business gave her a unique view of things. She didn't need anyone to spell it out for her. There were only two explanations for what happened at Johnny's warehouse: Anthony tried to take out his son or a rival family tried to take out Johnny. Either way it was bad news for Johnny, Ethan, and Michael.

Sonny's patience was running thin as Rose stalled for time. His mind race wondering what situation his son might be in. He walked closer to the bed and railed, "You and Michael think that this is a game but it isn't. Just because you grew up seeing how things work doesn't mean you should be in this life. Michael could be in real danger right now. He could be hurt or worse. He's not ready to be in the mob. This isn't the life for him. This isn't the life for either of you. You are both children playing a very dangerous game."

Sam's eyes widened as the situation got more tense. She hadn't seen Sonny like this in a long time. She knew his fear for Michael's safety was fraying his fragile nerves.

Rose's eyes hardened under Sonny's verbal assault. She stood up and pointed at the older man. With fury in her voice, she said, "That attitude is why Michael is working for Johnny instead of in your family where he would have more protection! Or my family for that matter! My brother told me that you had a sit down with my uncle. You told him to shut Michael down if he ever came looking for a job. If anything happens to Michael, my husband, while he is working for Johnny…that's on your hands. Not mine."

Jason moved between the two of them. "Sonny, this isn't helping us find Michael. You need to calm down."

Sam walked around Sonny and had a seat on the bed. She patted the space next to her trying to get Rose to have a seat. "Please…"

Rose sighed heavily and sat down next to Sam.

"Rose, I know that you have to be worried sick about Michael right now. I know that I always am when Jason takes off with Sonny. That feeling in the pit of your stomach as you worry that he won't come back home. I know that Sonny can be an ass but he loves Michael so much. As worried as you are right now…he is even more worried. Just tell us if Michael is okay. It might help put Sonny and Jason's minds at ease."

Rose sighed softly. "Michael, wasn't in the warehouse today, at all. He was supposed to be there but, Ethan went in his place because we had to go to Mass and come here for the party."

Jason let out a relieved breath. That was good news under the circumstances. Michael might be okay, for now.

Sam hugged her. "Thank you, Rose. Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"I don't know where Michael went. He got a call from Johnny after everything went bad at the warehouse. Other than Ethan, Michael is the only person Johnny really trusts. They trust each other."

Sonny scoffed but didn't say anything else. He walked to the other side of the room.

Rose looked at her father-in-law. "Michael trusts Johnny because he is the only one that believed in him other than me. Johnny was the only one willing to give Michael a shot."

"Zacchara can't be trusted. He's using Michael and he is just too blind to see it. He wants to prove himself and because of that he is blind. I'm not sure why you are…"

"You are the one that is blind. I respect you. I know Michael loves you, but you couldn't or wouldn't see that Michael was going to do this with or without you. You may be the boss of the family but you do not control Michael. You telling him no wasn't going to stop him. It just made him more determined. He felt like you thought he wasn't capable. You made him feel like he was just a stupid kid. After what happened to him in Pentonville he needed to feel in control and now he does. Johnny made that happen for him."

Sam sighed and glared at Sonny. She'd been making some headway until he opened his mouth. Sam saw Rose's walls were now firmly in place again. She glanced at Jason and then nodded toward Sonny.

Jason said, "We aren't going to get anymore information out of Rose. We need to get our guys looking for Johnny. You were married to Claudia. You know the Zacchara organization inside and out. You have to have some of those old contacts. They might have ideas about where Johnny would go if he was in trouble."

The older man reluctantly nodded and walked out of the room.

Jason kissed Sam's cheek and said, "Sonny just gets upset. He didn't mean what he was saying, Rose."

"He's not the only one," said Rose. She got up and paced the floor feeling sick to her stomach again. So much for her stomach being empty.

Jason exited the room and closed the door.

Sam said, "Sonny is…"

"I trust Johnny because I trust Michael's judgment. He isn't so dedicated that he wouldn't look out for his own wellbeing," said Rose.

Sam nodded. "Michael is a smart young man and he's been through so much. Sonny and Jason know that he's capable. They just don't want him to suffer the way they have."

Rose sniffled as tears flooded her eyes. "I love Michael. I fell for him so quickly that I didn't realize it happened. I felt this connection with him. I can't explain it, but it is the best feeling in the world. He is a good husband and he loves our sons, so much."

"I know you're scared. Telling Sonny and Jason everything you know isn't betraying Michael. It is making the best out of a very bad situation."

"I hate feeling so scared. I hate this feeling more than anything, but I trust Michael. We grew up in the same environment. We learned the same hard lessons. I know what he is capable of doing because I know what I am capable of doing. We have a contingency for this sort of situation."

Sam quirked a curious eyebrow and asked, "What sort of contingency?"

"We talked about we'd do if something like this ever came up. Michael will get in contact with me when he gets a chance. I know that he will," said Rose.

Sam nodded and watched as the younger woman paced the floor in at a frantic pace. "Why don't try to sit down? You are looking a little peaked."

Rose had a seat on the bed and sighed looking at her phone. "I just wish it wasn't taking him so long to call. Things must be as bad as we thought they'd be."

Just then Carly burst into the room.

Rose groaned realizing that Carly knew Michael was missing. She wasn't ready to have another fight with another in-law. She was tired and sick. She covered her mouth with her hand and rushed out of the room.

Sonny looked up seeing Rose breeze right by him as she headed into the bathroom. Moments later he heard the sounds of retching on the other side of the door.

Carly and Sam walked into the hall and looked at Sonny expectantly.

He shook his head. "She's getting sick again. I guess that part wasn't fake."

"I can't believe that Michael just left and no one noticed," said Carly.

Sonny said, "They had it planned out. Rose set off the alarm and everyone's attention shifted to her. We have to focus on the good news…Michael wasn't in the warehouse. All we can do is keep looking for him."

"I am not just going to stand around and wait to find out if my son is okay. I am going to talk to Rose when she comes out of that bathroom and she is going to tell me where Michael is."

Jason said, "You will try and fail just like Sonny did. All you are doing is pushing her, and by extension Michael, further away. You think he's going to be okay with the two of you going after Rose like this? Michael threatened to walk away from this family if we did anything to Johnny. What do you think he'd do to protect his wife?"

Carly frowned. She knew that Jason was right. They were in a no win situation. "What do we do then, Jason?"

"We need to trust that Michael is capable of taking care of himself. I know that to be true. In the meantime we will just have to wait this situation out," said Jason.

"Wait?!" Carly howled in protest.

Sonny walked over and pulled Carly into a hug. He knew they both needed the contact now. "You raised our son to be smart and strong, just like you. He's a fighter. Michael is okay, Carly."

The group stood in the hall waiting for Rose to reemerge from the bathroom. Five minutes grew to ten and ten minutes grew to fifteen.

Sonny said, "She's been in there for a long time."

Carly pursed her lips looking at the time of her cell phone. "I am going to see if she is okay."

Jason frowned. "Uh, I don't know if you are the right choice, Carly…"

"She's married to my son. Rose is my daughter now. I want to make sure that she is okay," Carly explained as she walked to the bathroom. She lightly knocked on the door. "Rose, it's Carly. Listen, we just want to know that you are okay in there. You're starting to worry everyone."

Jason and Sonny watched to see if Rose would answer the door. However, a few minutes later there was no answer from the other side of the door.

Carly looked back at the two men she trusted the most and took a deep breath. "I understand that Michael is your husband now. That means some things are strictly between the two of you now. I understand that you can't tell me anything more about Michael. I just want to know that you are okay."

She waited impatiently for an answer but began to grow more worried at the silence on the other side of the door. Carly twisted the knob and found that the door was unlocked.

Jason said, "Carly…."

She ignored him and pushed the door open. "Sonny! Somebody call an ambulance!"

Sonny's eyes widen but he quickly called for an ambulance.

Jason rushed into the bathroom. "What's happened?"

Carly was kneeling over Rose's unconscious body on the bathroom floor. Her cell phone had slid across the room presumably when she hit the floor. Carly gingerly lifted the girl's head onto her lap. "It is going to be okay, sweetheart. It's going to be okay."

Jason's eyes shifted to the cell phone hearing a small voice. He rushed over and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

Michael frantically asked, "Jason, is Rose okay? She was talking one minute and then she just disappeared. What happened?"

"Michael…we don't know. She came into the bathroom to get sick and when Carly came into the bathroom she found Rose on the floor."

Carly looked up hearing her son's name. "Sonny! Michael's on the phone."

The older man rushed into the bathroom. "Where is he? The ambulance is on the way." His brows furrowed with concern seeing Rose's unconscious state.

Michael said, "Damn it! She hasn't been feeling well. She was supposed to go to the doctor tomorrow morning."

"Michael, we'll make sure that Rose is taken care of, you know that. Where are you? Are you okay?" asked Jason.

"I am taking care of Johnny and Ethan. They are bad off. Johnny thinks that Anthony set him up this morning. The Solietos didn't show up for their meet. Hitters came in their place. Someone tipped off the Solietos a few minutes before the meeting began. They tried to clue Johnny in but it was too late. Listen I can't get back to the city right now. I'm trusting you guys to make sure my wife is okay, Jason."

Jason sighed and shook his head. They should have moved on Anthony before now. Sonny was being patient as Johnny got his ducks in a row. It wasn't easy to separate Johnny's new organization from Anthony's old one. Obviously, they'd waited too long. "Sonny is here. Talk to him, Michael. I am going to make sure Rose gets to the hospital."

Sonny accepted the phone and walked out of the bathroom to get some privacy.

Carly sighed looking up at Jason. "Michael's okay for the time being, but what about his wife?"


	24. Chapter 24

Johnny looked up at Michael from his position on the couch. Eden had yet to tend to his wounds because Ethan was the more urgent case. However, he'd taken a couple pain pills and was finally relaxed. Despite the reduction in pain his mind was racing in an attempt to find a way to stop Anthony's power play. He asked, "Is Rose okay?"

The younger man shook his head and leaned against the wall. His face showed his exhaustion. "I don't know what happened, Johnny. One minute Rose was fine and the next the line just goes silent. I heard the phone hit the floor and…Jason said that they found her unconscious on the bathroom floor. She's been a little sick lately but…not so much that she'd pass out. I'm worried about her."

"You need to go be with your wife, Michael. I have everything under control here. Eden is taking care of Ethan and she'll patch me up soon. She's has connections with a MD that wrote prescriptions for pain pills and antibiotics. There isn't much you can do for us now. Thanks for all of your help. It is good knowing that I can depend on you."

Michael blew out a tired breath. "I know that I need to go back to Port Charles. Rose needs me, but I can't just leave the two of you out here on your own. You aren't exactly moving around that great and there is no telling what kind of care Ethan might need. You've been good to me, Johnny. I've got your back."

Johnny gave a little smile. The kid was loyal and competent. "I can move around when I need to and I'll ask Eden to stick around for awhile to keep an eye on us. Honestly, we are just going to be sleeping once we take the pain medication. I am sleepy right now from the meds."

"You have a point. I slept all the time when I was taking Loratab after the car accident Franco caused. Most of the time I could barely keep my eyes open," said Michael.

"So there is no reason for you to sit around and watch the two of us sleeping. You should be with Rose. She needs you a hell of a lot more than we need you right now and Jason is coming here a little later to talk about the Anthony situation."

Michael grabbed the iPhone from his jacket and said, "At least let me call Luke. He loves Ethan. I know he'd be willing to come down here to keep an eye on things. Not to mention his family has got to be worried about him. The news of the warehouse fire is already making the rounds in Port Charles."

Johnny thought about it momentarily but then nodded in agreement. "It might be good to have Luke down here. I've heard he can be resourceful in a situation like this one."

Michael smiled and said, "I am glad that you agree because I am already calling him. I'll call later to check on you, Johnny."

"Alright…let me know how Rose is doing. Send my love," said Johnny.

Michael grabbed the car keys and his gun as he exited the cabin. He glanced around cautiously looking for anything out of place. However, the secluded cabin was just as serene and deserted as it had been when he first arrived. The only change in scenery was Eden's Audi parked on the side of his car.

Luke answered the call. "Spencer."

"Uh, Luke…"

"Yeah? Who is this?" asked Luke. The older man was walking away from Ethan's apartment door. He'd been knocking for awhile before just picking the lock and searching the place. Unfortunately, his efforts had not been rewarded. He was no closer to locating his missing son.

"This is Michael Corinthos. I don't know if you've heard about the fire at Johnny's warehouse or not but…Ethan was there this morning with Johnny. He was shot a couple times but it seems like for now he's fine. A doctor is taking care of him."

Luke sighed in relief hearing that Ethan was okay. He'd been alerted to the fire at the warehouse by Lucky almost an hour ago. Luke and Lulu had been calling Ethan's cell phone almost non-stop since then. He'd become impatient and went to search Ethan's apartment. "Where is he?"

"Actually, that is why I called you. Johnny and Ethan are at a safehouse in Honeoye Falls that belongs to you. Johnny's been shot too. I am worried about leaving the two of them down here alone, but I can't stay. My wife is at the hospital. I have to check on her," Michael explained, he climbed into Carly's car and started off toward Port Charles.

He frowned seeing rain clouds moving in overhead. A couple of the roads he'd have to take to get home were made of dirt. He didn't relish the prospect of driving down a dirt road in the pouring rain.

"I haven't been there in years. I didn't think Ethan knew about it. Thanks for calling me, Michael. I'll be on my way soon. Do they need anything?" asked Luke.

Michael said, "Maybe some more food. I brought down a little food but I didn't know how long they'd be here so I didn't bring much. They have enough liquor and medical supplies to last them awhile."

"Thanks for helping them out. Hope everything is okay with Rose. Lulu said that she's a really nice girl."

"Thanks Luke. It looks like it is about to rain here. Have a safe drive." Michael ended the call and concentrated on the drive back to Port Charles. His fear was pushing him to speed down the quiet country road. There wasn't a car in sight, but his instincts kept him from making that mistake. The last thing he needed was to be stopped in Carly's car with Sonny's gun.

A clap of thunder could be heard overhead and just like that the sky opened and it began pouring rain.

* * *

The poor weather conditions made Michael's trip back to Port Charles almost twice the length it should have been. He walked off the elevator at General Hospital and raced toward Rose's room. Michael was grateful to Kristina for keeping him updated while he drove there. He might have gone crazy any other way.

He'd been informed through a string of text messages that Sonny's house was on locked down while they figured out who staged that hit on Johnny and Ethan. A knot was forming in Michael's stomach because he knew all too well what a move like that meant. Price would have to be paid and blood would have to be spilled. If it could be done quickly and cleanly they'd all be lucky for it. However, it was more likely that it would turn into an all out war.

As he approached Rose's room he heard voices yelling at one another and knew instantly he'd found the right room. He stood at the door a moment to hear what was going on inside the room. More than that he needed a moment to steady his nerves so that he didn't lash out at the people in the room.

Marco yelled, "Theresa, you are the one that encouraged this marriage! You said that we should support her. Well, look at our daughter now. She's laying in a hospital bed and her husband is nowhere to be found! I knew she wasn't ready for all of this but I listened to you anyway!"

Carly's eyes hardened and said, "I know that you are worried about Rose and so are we, but don't you dare try to make it seem like my son isn't a good husband! He loves Rose and those boys with all of his heart."

Theresa laughed at Marco, "Forgive my ex-husband, Carly. He wouldn't know the first damn thing about being a good husband. That is why he's my ex…"

"No, I am your ex-husband because you are a pathetic alcoholic. I can't believe I ever married you. You are completely worthless. The only thing you've ever done worthwhile was give birth to my children. Now I just have to hope that they didn't inherit your proclivity for addictions. The last thing we need is another alcoholic in the family," Marco said in a scathing tone.

Theresa was taken aback and fell silent. She was more than a little hurt and embarrassed. The regal looking woman tried her best to keep the forming tears from falling. She didn't want to give her ex the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Sonny had heard enough at this point. He had tried to not intervene but it was long past getting out of hand. He stood up and said, "Marco, that wasn't called for. Rose wouldn't want you tearing into Theresa at a time like this. She needs both of her parents. And I don't appreciate the dig about my son. He loves your daughter and he is dedicated to her and those boys."

"Where are my grandchildren?" asked Marco, he ignored Sonny's plea for civility altogether.

Sonny's jaw clenched in anger. He was quickly losing patience with his friend of many years. He spoke in a warning tone, "Our grandchildren are at my house with the nanny and the rest of our family. They are being well cared for."

Marco scoffed, "They are not your grandchildren. They are nothing to you or your kid. Don't think I don't know about Johnny Zacchara's warehouse getting torched today. I don't want my daughter and grandchildren in the crossfire because your kid decided to play mobster."

Having heard more than enough Michael flung the door open and his eyes burned with anger. He pointed at Marco and said, "Get out!"

Carly's eyes widened. She didn't like seeing that menacing look on her son's face but she was glad to see that he was safe. "Michael!"

Theresa said, "Michael is here, Marco. Maybe you can stop acting like an ass now. He's a good young man. He got here to be with Rose as soon as he could."

Marco sucked his teeth derisively but didn't bother responding to Theresa.

Sonny sighed in relief seeing Michael. "I am glad that you made it here safely, son."

Carly rushed over and threw her arms around him. "Baby, we were so worried about you. I still can't believe we didn't know you were gone. Later we will talk how you managed to pull it off."

Michael hugged Carly but his eyes were planted firmly on Marco Marino. "I'm not joking get out of this room now."

Marco chuckled bitterly. "I am her father and I am not going anywhere until I know that she is okay. I've been here at her bedside while you were off doing God knows what… probably putting her, Nicolas, and Roman in more danger."

Michael broke away from Carly and approached Marco. "You get out or I'll throw you out. If you were really concerned about Rose you wouldn't be fighting with her mother over her unconscious body. Get the hell out now or I'll toss you out myself!"

Marco grabbed Michael and tossed the younger man into the wall. "Who the hell do you think you are talking to you little punk?"

Sonny rushed over and said, "Marco, get your hands off of my son and calm down before things get out of hand."

Michael's eyes narrowed as they grew darker. He punched Marco in face twice in rapid succession.

The older man was caught off guard by the sudden movement and he stumbled backward into Sonny. He had a bloody nose courtesy of Michael's precision punches. Once he caught his balance he roared toward Michael.

The younger man waved him on. "Come on! Hit me! I'll make you regret it!"

Michael was at his wits' end and was more than ready for a fight. Normally, he was better at controlling his rage but today wasn't what you'd call a typical day.

Theresa's eyes widened and she moved into the corner as to not be in the way of the fight.

Carly gasped softly, "Michael, please…"

Sonny grabbed Marco to restrain him and said, "Marco, if Rose woke up right now…what would she think about how you are acting. Take a walk and cool down before you say or do something you can't take back."

"Too late for that," Michael said sarcastically.

Marco shook Sonny's hands off of him. He picked up his trench coat and stormed out of the room. "I'll be back when my daughter wakes up!"

Michael said, "And not a moment before."

He hit the nurses' call button in frustration.

Elizabeth Webber came running into the room a few moments later. She made a beeline for Rose's bed to check on her patient. "Is there something wrong?"

"I want security alerted. Marco Marino is allowed back in this room until authorized," said Michael.

Elizabeth's eyes shifted to Sonny as if asking for help.

The older man stepped forward and put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Son, this has been a tense day for everyone. I'm sure when Marco comes back he will have calmed down."

Michael said, "If he comes back and goes after me again he'll be the one needing a hospital bed. I think it is better if he keeps his distance. I'm Rose's husband. Until she wakes up…I am the one that gets to decide who is allowed to visit."

Sonny nodded slightly. He couldn't really blame Michael's reaction. It was a lot more measured than he would have been capable of at that age. He looked to Elizabeth and said, "It would be for the best if hospital security could be on top of this. I'm sure they'd rather handle it than Max and Milo standing guard in the hallway."

Elizabeth nodded slightly. "I'll call down to the security desk and I'll have a word with Epiphany. No one gets by her. It is like she has eyes in the back of her head."

Michael said, "Thank you, Elizabeth."

She smiled softly. "No problem. Please call the desk if you need anything."

Michael waited until the door was closed and then he looked at Theresa. "I'm sorry about that and I'm sorry I wasn't with Rose when she needed me."

The older woman shook her head and put a comforting hand on Michael's forearm. "You don't have to apologize. Marco was out of line. He's trying to figure out how to fit into her life now that she's a married woman. He lashes out when he's scared. I'm sorry he went after you like that."

Michael nodded slightly. "What have the doctors said about Rose? I mean what's going on with her?"

Theresa said, "When Rose fainted she hit her head on the bathroom sink. She's got a concussion and the blow knocked her unconscious. They've taken a lot of blood samples to run tests. Hopefully we'll have something more concrete soon."

Michael ran a tired hand over his spiky hair and had a seat in a chair next to Rose's bed. He reached out and gently took her hand. There was a pulse/oxygen monitor on her finger so he tried not to move it too much.

Carly walked over and placed a hand on Michael's shoulder. "She's going to be okay, Michael. Patrick looked at her head and did an MRI. Her head is fine. Rose will get the very best care. You have my word."

Theresa stood on the other side of Michael and placed a hand on his other shoulder. "Whatever the two of you need…I'll make sure that you have. You aren't going through this alone. Neither one of you are."

Michael nodded and said, "Thank you. Both of you."

Sonny cleared his throat. "Carly, Theresa, why don't we give these two some privacy? We can go get a couple of bad cups of coffee."

Carly nodded slightly. She kissed Michael's cheek and reluctantly joined Sonny at the door. "We'll be down the hall if you need us."

Theresa patted Michael's shoulder and said, "I am going to go inquire about Rose's test results. I'll see if I can light a fire under some people."

Michael nodded but never looked in their direction. His one and only focus was Rose.

Sonny closed the door behind them.

Carly shook her head. "I just want to make this better for him and I can't."

He kissed her cheek. "Why don't you call to check on the kids? I am sure Michael will want an update on how the Nicolas and Roman are doing."

She finger-combed her long blond hair and nodded. "Sure."

Jason walked up next to Sonny as Carly went down the hall to call home. He asked, "How's Michael?"

"Broken up and blaming himself for not being there. Any news?" asked Sonny. He scrubbed at his face tiredly. Today was supposed to be a celebration of his little girl. Instead a war was brewing.

"I talked to Angelo Solieto himself. He was on the way to Johnny's warehouse when he got a call on his cell phone from a blocked number. The caller was using some sort of voice distortion software so he didn't recognize the person's voice. They told him to stay away from the warehouse unless he wanted to end up extra crispy like John. After the call ended he tried calling Johnny but it went straight to voicemail," said Jason.

Sonny shook his head. "I mean that matches up with what Johnny said. He couldn't use his phone in the warehouse. Sounds like someone was using a cell hammer. That seems a little too technologically savvy for old man Zacchara."

Jason nodded slightly. "That is what I thought. Maybe Anthony hired some high tech help. Johnny has stolen or eliminated a lot of the people from Anthony's organization. He's had to replenish his ranks."

"And warning Angelo Solieto was just smart business. Killing a Solieto would start a war he doesn't have the manpower or territory to win. And the son of a bitch is going to try to throw this in our direction. Everyone knows how I feel about Johnny, but my warehouse got hit today too. The only good news is that the place was empty. No one was hurt and nothing was there for the police to find."

Jason said, "Johnny doesn't suspect you. He knows you wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Michael's relationship with you. Killing him would do more than just jeopardize it. I've got the guys looking for Anthony. I am going to head down to the cabin to sit down with Johnny after I stop in to see Michael."

"I'm coming with you. I need to find Carly first."

Jason nodded and walked into the hospital room. "Michael?"

The younger man looked up sadly. "Hey…"

Jason closed the door and walked over to the bed. "I just wanted to see you before I go talk to Johnny. One of our warehouses got the same treatment as Johnny's. It looks like they went up at the same time."

The younger man put his head in his hands. "This has to be Anthony. No one else has motive or is crazy enough to go against the Corinthos and Zacchara organizations at the same time."

Jason nodded in agreement, "We're going to take care of this Anthony situation."

Anthony had always been an annoyance. However, the idea that Michael could have been in that ambush was enough to put the final nail in the lunatic's coffin. Waiting until all the pieces were in place was no longer an option. Anthony would have to go immediately.

Michael said, "Good. I should have been there today. I should have been there to have Johnny's back. I've been too busy to really think about it until now but…I was supposed to be there. I told Johnny last night that I couldn't make it because Dad wanted the whole family at Mass and his house for Joss's party."

"I know that it is selfish but I am glad that you weren't. You know it is the little decisions that change the world. When you were a baby I took over Sonny's organization while he was gone. Some of the other organizations weren't respecting me as much as they should because I was kid. A couple shipments had come up light. At least that is what I was being told after they were delivered. So this day I decided that I'd be there when the shipment landed to ensure everything was in order. If I was told later that the shipment was light it was either on his end or he was lying to me. Either way I would know what I had on my hands. On this day I took you to the doctor for a check- up. I was supposed to be landing the shipment at the docks afterward. So I put you in your car seat after the appointment and went straight to the docks with you in the car. For a moment I thought about leaving you there in the limo while I checked the shipment. Instead I decided to send you home where Leticia was waiting. A few minutes after I got there I was ambushed."

This story definitely had Michael's attention. He listened carefully as Jason told the story. "What happened?"

"I got out of there without getting hurt but it hit me that you could have been with me. You could have gotten hurt or worse. It was the scariest feeling I'd ever had up until that point in my life. See I didn't care what happened to me. I understood the risks when I joined Sonny and when I took over running his organization, but I never considered the danger I was putting you in. That split second decision changed everything for me. I couldn't be reactive anymore. I had to think out every move several paces ahead for you. You've got to do the same thing now for your family. I'm not telling you to quit the business. I know that you are more committed to Johnny than ever now."

"Then what are you saying Jason?" asked Michael.

"I am saying that there will be a war and you're going to be in the middle of it. I need you to be smart and to think your actions out. You have to think eight or nine steps ahead. Immediate consequences are the least of your worries now. You have to think for yourself and your family now. Your actions affect them. It is all about keeping them as safe as you can," said Jason.

Michael was shocked that Jason wasn't using this incident to try to force him out. He nodded and said, "I've got a lot of thinking to do."

"Then I'll leave to it, Michael," said Jason.

Michael sat back in the chair and closed his eyes as Jason exited the room. He did have a lot to think about but at the moment his worry for Rose was trumping everything else. The sad part was that Michael was used to things not working out in his life. He was silently beginning to wonder if this would be another one of those things.

He'd stomached all of the other losses and pain in his life. He had tolerated it admirably under the circumstances. However, he was doubtful that he'd be okay if something happened to Rose. He swallowed nervously and rubbed at his face, as if trying to rub away the negative ideas.

The stress of the day and his relative lack of sleep the previous night conspired against Michael, and soon he was dozing off in the chair next to Rose's bed.

Michael woke up from his nap and glanced at his watch. What he'd thought was a few minutes of resting his eyes was actually an 90 minute nap.

He sat up in the chair and looked over at Rose and noticed that her eyes were open. "Rosie?"

Rose's eyes moved over to Michael and she smiled at him. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up…"

Michael shot out of the chair in a flash and took Rose's hand in both of his. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You looked as tired as I feel. It didn't seem fair to wake you up. I figured that you would eventually," said Rose.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You scared the hell out of me, Rosie. We should call the doctors in and let them know that you are awake."

She reached out and grabbed Michael's hand. "How are Johnny and Ethan?"

Michael put the call button down and sighed a little. "They are alive but Ethan is in bad shape. He took the worse of it. Johnny's got a doctor up there taking care of them and Ethan's father, Luke, should be there with them right now."

Rose closed her eyes in relief. She knew how much Michael and Kristina cared about Johnny and Ethan. Not to mention she'd become fond of them as well. "What the hell happened at the warehouse?"

"Someone set Johnny up. Everything points to Anthony being behind the attack this morning. Things are going to get worse before they get better," Michael explained.

"No kidding. Anthony might be insane but he's been in the business a long time. He's bound to have some allies in the other families. If anyone decides to side with Anthony this could get very messy…"

Michael nodded in agreement. Rose's grasp of the business made conversations like this easier. He didn't have to hold her hand. "Jason said something to me earlier about being smart for my family and thinking ahead. I know neither one of us likes the idea of living with security surrounding us and the boys but…"

Her eyes fluttered closed but she nodded in agreement. "We'd be foolish not to have security protecting us. You are a prime target if Anthony is looking for leverage against Johnny and Sonny. I'll call my dad and have him set up a security detail. I'm sure Sonny's guys are going to have their hands full with all of your family."

He blew out a tired breath and sat back down in his chair. Michael wasn't looking forward to telling Rose about his altercation with Marco. Despite being in the wrong the man was still her father.

Rose asked, "What's wrong? Is my dad okay?"

"He was fine the last time that I saw him. He had a bloody nose but he was no more worse for wear," Michael replied.

"Bloody nose?" asked Rose. Her eyes drifted to Michael's reddened knuckles and she sighed. "What happened?"

Michael said, "He was talking trash about me. Said that the boys were nothing to me. I told him to leave and he wouldn't. Instead he threw me up against the wall and I just snapped. I punched him twice and his nose started bleeding. He left after that and I told Elizabeth that he wasn't allowed back in until further notice. I know that he is your father and you want him here, but at that moment I couldn't have him here. I didn't know if I could control my temper. I'm sorry."

Rose shook her head. "You don't have to apologize, Michael. My dad put his hands on you. He started the fight. You had every right to defend yourself. I'm not angry. He hasn't exactly been warm and fuzzy toward you since we left your dad's island."

"He was already being rough on your mom when I got here. I mean he was really cutting into her, but what he said about Nicolas and Roman was the last straw for me. I know he doesn't like me and that is okay, but those are my sons. I adopted the boys because I love them and I want all of us to be one family," said Michael.

"He had no right to say something that despicable. You are Roman and Nicolas' father. That is all there is to it. They bear your last name now. He'd better find a way to come to terms with that," said Rose, her anger was already simmering.

Michael kissed her cheek. "I am going to call the doctors in to check on you now. Everyone is worried about you. Maybe they can tell us what is going on. If you want I can have them lift the ban on Marco."

Rose shook her head, "I'm not ready to deal with my father. I don't feel very good and there is a lot going on. There is a lot that we need to figure out. I don't need him spouting his bitterness and negativity."

Michael nodded and pressed the call button. There was a huge weight off of his shoulders now that Rose was awake. It was a bonus that she wasn't angry at him for punching her father. Now he could focus on keeping his family safe from the deranged Anthony Zacchara.

A few minutes later Elizabeth walked into the room and smiled seeing that Rose was alert. "I'll get Steve and Patrick. They will want to examine you."

Rose watched the door close and shifted her gaze to Michael. "Kristina mentioned something earlier when I told her about me being sick."

"Okay….?" asked Michael.

"Well, I mean it could be some sort of cold, flu, or virus type of thing. Or I could be pregnant," said Rose.

Michael's eyes widened. He knew that it was a possibility but this was something neither of them were ready for. They were newly married and already had two young sons. They'd be starting college in the Fall and they'd both be working at ELQ in the city. Adding a newborn to that equation would be overwhelming, if not impossible. However, he could see the worry in Rose's eyes. He smiled at her and said, "We always said that we wanted to give Nicolas and Roman a baby sister or brother."

Rose shook her head. "We meant in the future. There is so much going on right now. A baby would be…"

Carly opened the door but paused hearing the word 'baby'. "Baby?"


	25. Chapter 25

Theresa rushed into the room and marched directly to the Rose's hospital bed. She was having a hard time containing herself, but she didn't want to be booted out of the room like Marco. She glanced at Carly for some sort of back up because she was about to lose it.

Carly closed the door behind her and stared at the newlywed couple in complete shock. She was silently praying that she'd misunderstood Rose. She was suddenly wishing Sonny and Jason were with her. "Did you say baby? Are you pregnant, Rose? Is that why you fainted at Sonny's house?"

Theresa turned to look at Carly and said, "That would explain a lot. I mean Rose has been telling me for this last week that she wasn't feeling very well. I kept the boys later on a couple of school days because she wanted to go home and get a nap."

"She got sick in the bathroom today around the time Michael went missing. I thought it was just a diversion to lend some credence to her excuse for setting off the alarm, but morning sickness would fit that perfectly. I forgot to tell the doctors about it because I thought the vomiting was a part of the ploy," said Carly.

Rose sighed a little, "Could the two of you not talk about me like I'm not in the room? It is really annoying and my head is actually hurting pretty bad right now so it is hard to track your rapid fire conversation."

Michael cleared his throat. "Rose and I really need to talk about some things in private. I know that it'll be difficult but if you two could give us a few minutes and come back…we'd both really appreciate that."

Rose nodded in agreement. "We really need to have some time alone. I promise that we will talk to you guys about what is going on soon."

Theresa said, "Sweetheart, I will give you all of the privacy that you need. I just need to know if pregnancy is a possibility. Not just from a mother's perspective but as a physician. If it is a possibility I need to let your doctors know so the appropriate tests can be ran."

Michael looked to Rose and saw that she was barely holding back tears. He stood up and walked over to Theresa and Carly. "We are a married couple. We have consummated our marriage. So, to answer your question…yes, there is a chance that Rose could be pregnant. Any other questions really need to wait."

Carly nodded numbly and said, "I am going to go call your father. Sonny should know about this. I hope that you'll call us back in when you've finished talking to Rose."

Theresa clutched the cross around her neck and blew out a slow breath. "I just want to say that if you two are having a baby I will be there every step of the way to help both of you."

Carly hugged Michael and kissed his cheek. "You have both of our support, baby. You take care of her, okay?"

Michael nodded. "Thanks. I will."

Theresa glanced at Rose for a moment. She let go of the cross and said, "I'm going to go find Dr. Webber and let him know that another panel needs to be run on Rose."

Rose sighed and felt tears welling up in her eyes as Theresa fled the room. A sob wracked her body before she could stop herself.

Carly smiled at Rose and then slipped out of the room.

Michael closed the door and returned to Rose. He kissed her cheek and lightly tucked her hair behind her ear. "Scoot over so that I can get in the bed with you."

Rose chuckled sadly and wiped at her tear streaked cheeks. "You don't have to do that, Michael. I'm fine. I'm just peachy."

Michael said, "Come on. You're my wife so technically this is half my hospital bed. Scoot over so that I can get comfortable too."

Rose acquiesced and moved onto her side. She relaxed as Michael climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around her. Rose buried her head against his chest and let go.

It pained Michael to see Rose so broken up. He had a fairly good idea of why she was so upset but for the moment caressing her back would have to be enough. She'd talk to him when she was ready.

Rose wept uncontrollably for what seemed like an eternity to her. She felt crazy for not saying anything to Michael but she was appreciative of the fact that he was right there with her. That was when it struck her…she wasn't alone this time around. She wasn't in an abusive relationship with a boy that only wanted her for sex. Michael loved her and they were married now.

Michael sensed a lull in the crying and moved back so that he could look into Rose's red-rimmed eyes. He kissed her softly and said, "We're going to be okay whether you are pregnant or not. You know that, right? We're married and we will make this work."

"I know that, Michael. I trust you to be here for me no matter what happens. It's just the look on my mother's face made me feel like such a failure. When I first got pregnant my parents were so disappointed in me. I mean I was an honor roll student, star volleyball player, and cheerleader. I was involved in several service organizations that did volunteer work in our community. I was part of the church's youth group. The way they looked at me when I got pregnant hurt so bad and I promised that I'd never give them a reason to look at me like that again."

"Rose, I know how it feels to worry about disappointing your parents. My mom and dad love me but they hate that I'm working with Johnny. I am working for my father's business rival and he will never say it to me but he sees it as a betrayal," Michael explained.

Rose shook her head and said, "I've seen the way Sonny talks to you and looks at you. He's going to love no matter what you do or who you work for. You mean that much to him."

"That is my point exactly. Your parents might not be thrilled about this pregnancy but they'd never turn their backs on you. Your dad was a complete jerk today, but I never doubted that the anger stemmed from his feeling helpless. He wanted to help you and there wasn't a damn thing he could do for you right then. Instead he decided to attack me. I'm a convenient target for his rage. At the end of the day I'm the guy that took his little girl away. Children fall short of their parents' expectations. Parents fall short of their children's expectations but the love is still there. The love never goes away."

Rose cut her eyes at Michael as she sniffled, "I thought I was supposed to be the rational thinker in this marriage. Are you taking my job?"

Michael chuckled, "Well, that is the good thing about a partnership, we can take turns being crazy. We can't both go off the deep end at the same time."

That managed to get a laugh from Rose. She shook her head and said, "I think I like this partnership thing. I might have to have a few more meltdowns when it is all said and done."

The young man looked into her eyes with an air of seriousness and said, "You can meltdown, breakdown, fall down whenever you'd like because I will always be there to pick you back up. When I said those vows on the beach…it was forever, Rosie."

Rose blinked back tears and said, "Great…now you are going to make me cry again. Good job, Corinthos."

Michael laughed and kissed her softly, "What can I say? I have a way with the ladies."

She nudged him with her arm and took in a deep breath. Rose stared at the ceiling for a few minute gathering her thoughts.

Michael noted the pensive look on Rose's face. He reached over and handed her a few tissues to dry her eyes. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Rose gratefully accepted the tissues and dried her face. "If I am pregnant…how the hell do we do this, Michael? I got through high school because my family was there for me. I can't imagine pulling a full course load in college and trying to look after three children, one of which will be a newborn."

"You were a single mother when you had Nicolas and Roman. You aren't that this time around. I am here to help. Krissy will be living with us and you know that she will be willing to help. I get the distinct feeling that Ethan will be spending and inordinate amount of time at our house. He can hold a screaming kid or two if we need him to. We already said that a nanny would be necessary. Why not see if we can find one we like full-time? That way on the days that we are swamped there is someone there to lend a helping hand and on lighter days we can be the present parents we want to be."

Rose ran those scenarios over in her head and wondered if they would work. She had to admit the logistics would be hectic but just might be doable. "How do we find the right nanny? I've never had to find one on my own…"

"I don't know anything about hiring a nanny either but I am sure our parents would be more than happy to help. Besides, do you think either set of grandparents would let a nanny anywhere near the kids without having her thoroughly vetted. I'll bet there are presidential nominees that won't have as thorough a background check as this poor woman will have to endure."

Rose chuckled and said, "Well, between our fathers I am sure they will know everything about her since grade school."

Michael said, "They'll know if she ever so much as stole a pack of gum. Not to mention my mother could be a interrogator for the FBI."

"That is for sure. I can see my mother whipping out a drug testing kit right there during the interview. Anything stronger than caffeine and the candidate will get bounced out of the door," said Rose.

"Not to mention I can drop the position at ELQ Manhattan office and just focus on my work with Johnny. All Edward would need to know is that I'm focusing on our family and being a good father. I don't think he'd see any fault in that. Especially, if I still dedicate my summers to ELQ here in Port Charles," said Michael.

Rose laughed softly, "You have it all planned out."

"Well, you have to think quickly when your wife is sobbing into your chest. I never like to see you cry or in pain. It inspires something inside of me and I just want to fix it: I want to make it better."

She smiled looking into his eyes, "You did make it better. Even if we hit roadblocks, I know that it will be okay because we'll be together."

Michael took her hand in his and looking at her wedding band and engagement ring. "Always. I promised you that."

There was a knock on the door and then Elizabeth walked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt. Dr. Webber asked me to come in here to draw some more blood for a few more tests."

Michael smiled and climbed out of the bed. He beckoned her into the room. "Come on in, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled and moved over to the bed. "How are you feeling, Rose?"

The younger woman said, "My head is killing me but I am feeling a little better."

"Well, just let me know if there is anything that I can get for you. Just use the call button and I will come in," Elizabeth said, she drew three vials of blood.

Rose asked, "Am I going to have any blood when I leave here?"

The nurse chuckled, "Not to worry. We have an IV line replenishing all of your fluids. You'll be right as rain before you know it."

"I hope so…"

As Elizabeth was about to exit the room there was a knock on the door. She smiled as she opened the door, "Looks like the two of you have visitors. Good evening, Dr. Marino."

The nurse slipped quietly out of the room.

Theresa said, "I hope I'm not interrupting. I was hoping to talking to the two of you…"

Carly stuck her head in the door and said, "We both were…"

Michael held back a sigh and looked to Rose. He asked, "Are you up to this?"

Rose nodded and said, "I'm fine, baby. I'm okay to talk now."

Both women walked into the room and closed the door behind them. Theresa said, "I want to apologize for my reaction earlier. It was insensitive and out of line. I can only imagine how it must have made you feel, Rose."

The girl shook her head and picked with invisible lint on the hospital blanket. "It's fine, Mom. Michael and I haven't been as careful as we should and there are consequences for that."

Carly said, "But we don't want you thinking of our grandchild as a consequence. He or she is going to be a gift that is loved and adored by a massive family. I am in no position to judge unsafe sexual practices. I got pregnant with Michael because I got drunk at a bar and I slept with AJ, but he has turned out to be one of the very best things that ever happened to me."

Theresa took a breath and said, "I'm not as sainted as I try to make myself out to be. Your father and I didn't want until we were married to have sex. I was nearly 4 weeks pregnant with your brother when we got married. We just kept it a secret from everyone because we knew our families would hit the roof. I was shocked earlier and I was worried, but I love you so much sweetie."

Carly smiled and kissed Michael's cheek, "The two of you will have our full cooperation. Whatever you need we will be there for you. Just ask. I know that you can be stubborn, Michael. Even if you don't want to ask for yourself…ask for your family."

Rose laughed softly, "It is really sweet of you guys to come in here like this. Thank you. I was really worried earlier too, Mom, but I'm okay now. I'm not scared because I have Michael. Besides, it could just be a false alarm. I really might have come down with some kind of bug. Have you seen or heard from, Dad?"

Theresa shook her head and sighed, "Marco went back to work. He told Mateo that he'd come back later on when Michael isn't here."

Michael scoffed and said, "He's going to have to wait a long time for that."

Rose reached out and took his hand, "Michael…"

He frowned and said, "He threw me up against a wall!"

Rose laughed quietly, "I know that he did and he was wrong for that. I'm so happy that you showed restraint because a few months ago I'd be in a wheelchair visiting my father in the ICU, but he is my dad and I'd like to see him. Sonny wasn't exactly on his best behavior today either."

Michael's eyebrow rose and he asked, "What do you mean?"

Rose shook her head and said, "It is no big deal. Your dad was just worried about you."

"What did he say to you?" asked Michael, he was quickly becoming agitated.

Rose smiled at Michael and asked, "Can we talk about this at home…later?"

Michael nodded and said, "Fine."

Theresa said, "You could always give your dad a call, Rose. I'm sure he'd come right over if he knew you wanted to see him."

Rose chewed at her bottom lip for a moment and then nodded, "I think I will do that."

Michael said, "I think I will make myself scarce then. I don't think you want Rumble in the Jungle Part II in here."

Rose said, "You don't have to go anywhere, Michael. You're my husband. Dad is going to have to get used to that at some point."

Michael leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "Rosie, you've had a long and stressful day. I don't want anything between me and your father adding to that. I have some things I need to do anyway."

Carly grinned, "Does that mean I get to steal you away from your wife for a little bit? I'd like to have a talk with you about how you managed to get away from Sonny's house this afternoon."

Rose started laughing seeing the look on Michael's face.

Carly pointed in her direction. "I wouldn't laugh too much. As soon as you are out of that hospital bed we are going to have a similar talk."

* * *

A few hours later Michael stood outside of Rose's hospital room talking to Sonny and Jason. He was tired and stressed out but was handling the situation admirably. "No one has any clue where Anthony is?"

Sonny shook his head and said, "The old man went underground after his failed attempt on Johnny's life. Considering he knew it'd bring a backlash from both organizations it is a smart move. Johnny's crew is looking for him and the Solietos want a word since Angelo came so close to meeting an untimely end."

"We've got our people looking for anyone that has been working with Anthony. They may not know anything about his whereabouts but they will be able to tell us what he's been doing," Jason explained.

Michael nodded, "His agenda could be more important than his location at the moment. Jason, I thought about what you said to me earlier about making the right decisions for my family."

Sonny looked between the two men wondering about the content of the earlier conversation.

Jason nodded slightly, "And?"

"I want to work out some sort of security for Rose and the boys. I know that I'm likely a target for Anthony Zacchara. I don't want Rose, Nicolas, and Roman getting caught in the crossfire of that. So, I was wondering if we could stay with you, Dad, until things settle down. I know my family will be safe in your house," said Michael.

Sonny was taken aback by the request but quickly nodded, "You and your family are always welcome in my home, Michael. Fair warning: Carly, Morgan, and Josslyn will be staying with me until I work out this Anthony situation. I don't think that Anthony would make a move on Carly's house but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Michael smirked slightly and said, "Sure that's why Mom is going to be staying at your house."

Jason quirked an eyebrow at Michael and then shot Sonny a questioning look.

Sonny rocked back on his heels casually and asked, "What do you mean?"

Michael shook his head. "You don't have to pretend with me, Dad. I am not going to say anything to anyone, but come on…it is obvious that you and Mom are dating one another. How do you think I knew to look for your gun at her house?"

Jason frowned deeply. It wasn't often that he was caught off guard by things. However, as of late he'd been concerned about Jake's recovery, Sam's pregnancy, Franco's disappearance, and Michael joining Johnny's organization. "Sonny?"

Sonny cleared his throat and stuffed his hands into his pants' pockets. "Carly and I weren't going to say anything because we don't know what this is if it is anything. We decided to date and keep things quiet in the meantime. I go over to her house to spend time with Morgan and Josslyn. Sometimes Carly brings them over to my house. And sometimes we'll sneak away for lunch or dinner somewhere private."

Jason frowned as the realization hit him. For weeks now Sonny had been cancelling his security detail at odd hours or sending the guys away when he went to Carly's for the evening. He thought it was because the security was making Carly antsy about possible danger. "I don't know how I didn't pick up on it sooner."

Sonny looked to Michael and asked, "When did you figure it out?"

"Figure out what? That the two of you were dating or that you wanted to get back together?" asked Michael, the amusement was obvious in his voice.

"Both," Sonny and Jason said simultaneously.

"I've known that the two of you wanted to get back together since February. Krissy and I both noticed that you and Mom were getting really close when Brenda was kidnapped. It sort tapered off once Brenda was back home but I noticed it again when Jax was trying to get sole custody of Josslyn. That dance at the engagement party was all of the confirmation I needed."

Sonny shook his head and chuckled, "You're smarter than the both of us put together, Mike. When did you realize that we were dating?"

Michael said, "A couple weeks after we came back from the island. Morgan told me that you were going over to Mom's house every night after work to spend time with Josslyn, but you were sticking around until Morgan went to bed. I just put two and two together and got four."

Sonny said, "I guess Carly and I weren't as stealth as we thought we were. So, what do you think about the two of us getting back together?"

Michael shrugged, "I think that you love Mom and that she loves you. I don't know anyone else that would go to the lengths that the two of you go to in order to protect each other. I can remember some really happy times as kid and I can remember some really terrible ones too. Above everything, all I really want is for the two of you to be happy. And if being happy means being together then I want that for both of you."

Sonny stepped forward and hugged Michael, "Thank you, son."

Michael hugged Sonny and said, "Mom is a lot happier than I remember seeing her in a really long time. You seem happy too."

The older man took a step back and nodded, "I am. Carly still drives me crazy, but it is a crazy that I like. No one is ever going to understand the darkness I got living inside of me like Carly does. No one."

Michael said, "I really hope that you two can make it work and I promise to keep what I know to myself until the two of you make some sort of decision. The only person I told was Rose."

Sonny nodded and said, "Thanks, Michael. What about you Jason?"

The generally stoic man smiled, "Keeping you and Carly apart is like keeping two express trains from hitting one another. It is impossible. If both of you are happy then I'm okay with this. I'm more concerned that I didn't pick up on it sooner."

Sonny said, "You've been occupied. You do everything for this organization and you have your own personal life to take care of."

Jason said, "That isn't a good excuse."

"You can't be expected to be everything to everyone, Jason. You have your own life now and I'm glad that you do. You deserve to be happy too," said Michael.

Sonny nodded in agreement and shifted his gaze to Michael. He said, "Carly called earlier and mentioned with Rose might be pregnant."

Michael took a breath and nodded at his father. "


	26. Chapter 26

Dr. Webber knocked on Rose's hospital door and then walked into the room with Dr. Drake following close behind. Steve smiled seeing that Michael and Rose were in good spirits. It had been a hard 24 hours for the newlyweds and he didn't relish the prospect of piling on. He had double-checked his findings and even consulted with Dr. Patrick Drake about the best course of action.

Michael sat up in the chair and muted the television. He reached over and took Rose's hand. "Hey, did you guys figure out what is wrong with Rosie? Is her head okay?"

Patrick smiled and said, "Rose's CT scan is clean. She has a concussion but that is to be expected after hitting her head on a tiled bathroom floor. I don't believe she will have any complications stemming from her fall."

Rose looked at the expression on the doctors' faces trying to guess if they were about to break good or bad news. She asked, "Am I pregnant?"

Steve walked closer to the bed and had a seat on a stool. He smiled and said, "The pregnancy test results came in this morning and you are not pregnant."

Rose let out a sigh of relief and looked at Michael with a smile. "You know I would have loved having your baby and I will someday..."

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "We just aren't ready right now. I know, Rosie. I'm just as happy that we aren't pregnant. Everything would have had to change. I wasn't nearly as confident as I pretended to be yesterday."

Rose chuckled softly and leaned over kissing him. "Thank you for being brave for my benefit. I needed that more than you know."

Michael smiled and then looked at Patrick's face. He asked, "Is something wrong? I mean…Rose is okay, right? Did you find out why she's been feeling so sick?"

Patrick cleared his throat and said, "We didn't know what was wrong with Rose when she came in yesterday afternoon so we took an array of samples to test for everything. We even did a CT scan and an MRI to make sure that everything was okay. Well, the cultures from her ears came back and she has a fairly severe ear infection. Dr. Webber decided to take a closer look at her ears and then he called me in for a consult."

Rose smiled and asked, "Is that all? I get those all of the time. My doctor usually just prescribes a pill and I take it for about a week and I'm fine. I had do ear drops for awhile too but it usually goes away."

Steve shook his head and said, "This is a different infection, Rose. You have a viral infection in the ear. That is what was causing the nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of balance, and probably mild hearing loss that you didn't notice. However, that isn't the only problem."

Michael looked confused and asked, "So what do we do for that? Like antibiotics or something?"

Steve said, "The ear infection is not the only problem that we found. When we inspected Rose's CT scans we spotted cholesteatomas. They can be called tumors but they are completely benign. A cholesteatoma develops in utero in some babies and others develop throughout life because of repeated ear infections. Your history of ear infections makes sense in this case. We are going to treat the infection with antibiotics, but we are going to have to do surgery to remove the cholesteatomas if they do not shrink in size."

Michael blinked in disbelief, "You are going to have to do surgery? There isn't any other way?"

He looked to Patrick for some type of advice. He trusted the doctor because of all he'd done for him. Michael felt like Patrick was the best that there was.

Patrick said, "We can give Rose medication to shrink the cholesteatomas but there is a chance that may not work. The growths are present in both ears and we are concerned about the damage it can be doing to the structure of her inner ear. From the CT scans we were able to see that the spread is significant. If cholesteatomas are left unchecked they can irreparably damage the patient's hearing. We have no way of knowing how long they've been present in her ears but we can say that damage has already begun. We do not want Rose to suffer permanent hearing loss in either of her ears."

Rose just stared off into space in shock. The idea of losing her hearing was terrifying for the young woman. However, surgery wasn't exactly a walk in the park either. "How long does the medicine take to work?"

Patrick said, "Sometimes it can be a matter of weeks and sometimes it doesn't work at all. Listen…we can only recommend the best course of treatment. The decision will have to be up to you, Rose. We will give you all of the information that we can and answer any questions you might have. We do not want to pressure you in anyway, but we do believe that your condition is serious."

Steve handed Rose several pamphlets and some printed literature. "I think that you and Michael should read this information and then talk about what you'd like to do. The situation is this…we can give you the medication and monitor you over the next month to see if the medication shrinks the cholesteatomas. However, in a month's time if the tumors haven't shrank in size enough we will have to operate to keep them from damaging your hearing. Or we could do the surgery sometime in the next couple of days."

Rose asked, "But there are risks for surgeries, right? And you are going to be operating on my ears. You could make me deaf by accident, right? Things happen."

Patrick said, "You are right. There are risks associated with any surgery and hearing loss is a risk of this surgery. However, you are equating possible hearing loss with certain hearing loss. The size of the tumors in your ears dictates that you will lose your hearing. We can't say how soon because we have no way of knowing how fast your tumors are growing. However, I can assure you that we have the very best equipment and surgical staff at this hospital."

Rose looked absolutely devastated and she nodded slightly, "How soon can you operate on me?"

Michael asked, "What? Rose, this is something that we really need to talk about and we should read all of this stuff Dr. Webber gave us."

Dr. Webber nodded in agreement, "I'm inclined to agree with Michael. This isn't a decision that you should make spontaneously. Give it some serious thought. However, if you decide to have the surgery we can fit you in as soon as the effects of your concussion subside."

Rose nodded slightly and said, "I'd like to be alone with my husband…please."

Dr. Webber nodded and said, "Certainly. Since everything else with Rose is fine we are going to go ahead and release her. I'll have a nurse bring in the prescriptions and release papers. I'll be prescribing the medication to shrink the cholesteatomas and an antibiotic for the ear infection. You should begin taking the medication whether or not you are going to have the surgery. Before you leave I am going to send in Dr. Marshall. She is the audiologist here at General Hospital. She is going to run a few tests to evaluate your hearing."

Patrick took a card from his pocket and handed to it Michael. "If either of you need anything or if you want to discuss the surgery more just give me a call at anytime. If I don't answer then leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I get it."

Michael nodded slightly, "Thanks, Dr. Drake."

Steve and Patrick left the room.

Rose sat in the bed unsure of what to say. She looked at the medical literature sitting on her lap. "Maybe we really should read this stuff."

"Do you want me to call your parents?" asked Michael. He couldn't blame her for wanting them there for something this serious. He could see the fear in her eyes and felt helpless. Michael felt like it was his job to make everything better but at the moment he was at a loss on how to do that.

Rose shook her head, "My dad will freak out and just make things worse. He'll probably start something with you. I don't need that. We'll make this decision on our own."

Michael kissed her softly and said, "Then that is what we'll do."

The couple quietly read over the material. Every so often they would exchange a pamphlet or literature about Rose's medical condition.

After nearly an hour of silent reading Michael sat back in the chair and asked, "What did you think about all of it?"

Rose shook her head and said, "It is a lot of stuff. I mean I read it all and I even understand the procedure but the literature says if the tumors have spread the shrinking isn't likely to work. I mean I could be putting off surgery for no reason. I might do serious damage to my hearing by procrastinating."

Michael blew out a relieved breath and said, "I was thinking the same thing, Rosie. I mean part of the reading said it could spread to the brain because it just keeps growing until it is cut out. I know the surgery is scary, baby, but I think it is the right decision for you and our little family."

"I think we should talk to Dr. Webber and Dr. Drake about recovery time. I mean will I even be able to attend graduation? How much time will I need off from school? Will I miss final exams? I've come so far to fail my senior year because I have to miss the last month of school."

Michael kissed her cheek, "I know that it is hard but try not to jump to any conclusions before we have answers. We have no way of knowing how long you might need to be out of school. It may only be a few days, but if you do have to miss school there has to be a way for you to complete the work so that you can still graduate. Between our two families and the money they both have…you can't tell me they can't move mountains to get some sort of accommodations for you."

Rose nodded slightly, "You are right, Michael. I shouldn't panic until I know that there is something for me to panic about. I mean maybe everything will turn out okay."

"Everything is going to be okay, Rose. We've come so far…nothing is going to get in our way now," said Michael.

Rose chuckled, "A pregnancy isn't looking so bad next to this."

Michael chuckled and shook his head at her sense of humor. Although, he couldn't deny that she was right about that. A baby was a gift. They had the means and support to take care of a child. Tumors that could spread to the brain were a curse.

Rose looked up hearing Michael's cell phone ring. She searched the bed covers and picked up his phone. "It's Johnny."

Michael said, "Hit ignore. I'll call him back later."

"You should take the call. You left Johnny and Ethan bleeding in the middle of nowhere with a veterinarian," said Rose. She offered a small smirk.

Michael shook his head, "Alright but it is going to be a quick call."

He took the phone and left the room to have a little privacy on his call.

* * *

Michael walked over to Max and said, "I know that you work for my father, but he's assigned you to keep my family safe. If you are going to do that…I need for you to do what I ask."

Max nodded, but looked confused by what Michael said. He asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Corinthos?"

"Rose is all set to go. We've signed all of the paperwork and she is cleared to leave the hospital. What I'd like for you to do is take her down to the car and drive her home. I don't want anyone knowing that she's leaving. Make sure you keep this to yourself," said Michael.

"I can do that. I just don't understand why. Everyone is really worried about Mrs. Corinthos…"

Michael gave a small smile and replied, "They are well meaning but overwhelming and that is the last thing that Rose needs right now. She's having a very hard day. The less stress on her, the better. I don't want anyone in the house that doesn't have a key. I just want her to rest and relax."

Max said, "I'll be stealth getting her out of here and I'll make sure no one disturbs Mrs. Corinthos at home until further notice. Do you need me to do anything else?"

The younger man paused a moment and answered, "Maybe try to make her smile."

Max's brows furrowed in concern but knew better than to pry into Michael's private affairs. He was a lot like Sonny in that respect. He followed Michael into Rose's room where she was already dressed and seated in a wheel chair.

Rose appeared to be staring off into space and that was probably the best thing she could do at the moment. Every time she tried to speak or make sense of what was happening to her she began to cry.

Michael stooped down so that he was eye level with Rose. "Max is going to take you home and do his best to make sure you have privacy to rest. I'll take care of talking to our families."

Rose looked tired and as if she'd been crying recently. She said, "You shouldn't have to face them alone, Michael. We're married…we're supposed to be in this together."

Michael lightly caressed her hair and smiled, "We are in this together. You're doing all of the heavy lifting, baby. You've been through a lot in the last two days. Let me take care of this. I can handle it."

"I bet everyone is out there. I don't want you to face them alone but I can't…" she trailed off; silently tears began to slip down her cheeks.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and regained his standing position. "You let me worry about the block party we call a family. I just want you to get home and rest. Max will get you whatever you need and I am just a phone call away. I promise I will get home as soon as I can."

Max handed Rose a box of Kleenex.

Rose sniffled and gently dried her eyes with a tissue. She looked over her shoulder and said, "Thank you, Max."

He nodded in response and said, "Anytime."

She looked to Michael and reached out taking his hand. Rose said, "Don't let them get to you. Say what you have to say and then get out of there. This isn't a press conference. There are no questions."

Michael chuckled heartily, "Thanks, Coach. I'll be sure to let them know this is an explanation and not a conversation. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

He nodded to Max letting him know it was time to get Rose out of there. It wouldn't be long before a well-meaning family member showed up at the door.

Max nodded and started pushing Rose's chair out of the door.

Rose said, "I'll be fine too."

It was a small statement but it was determined and somehow Michael believed her. He flashed a genuine smile; he stood and watched as Max wheeled her down the hall to the elevator bay. Dr. Webber had been instrumental in steering their families to a waiting area away from the elevators.

He scrubbed at his face tiredly. Michael had scarcely slept the night before. He found himself awake in the chair beside Rose's bed for most of the night. Waiting on the test results had been difficult but the outcome was much worse than they could have imagined.

Michael heaved a sigh and then confidently walked down to the waiting area. His eyes quickly scanned the room and saw that he was right. Their combined families were anxiously awaiting news and nearly jumped to their feet when he appeared.

Carly, Sonny, Theresa, and Marco made a beeline for Michael and looked at him expectantly.

In an irritated voice Marco said, "Well?"

"Rose has a concussion but Dr. Drake doesn't think it is any cause for concern. He'd like to see her for a checkup later this week," said Michael.

The mood in the room shifted and everyone seemed more at ease. They'd all been waiting with baited breath to hear what was going on with Rose. The newlyweds had maintained a stranglehold on all information concerning her case. They hadn't even been allowed near her hospital room.

However, Carly was the first to see the sadness in her son's eyes. She took a step closer and rested a hand on his arm. "Sweetheart, is everything okay? Is there something else going on?"

Michael cleared his throat and said, "I think it'd be better if everyone had a seat."

Sonny's eyebrow went up at Michael's tone. He said, "Just…tell us what is going on son and what we can do to help. We are all here for both of you."

"What I am about to say is not up for discussion because we're not ready to discuss it. We are struggling to deal with this as couple. However, we decided that you are our family and shouldn't be left in the dark," Michael explained.

Marco shifted from one foot to the other as a feeling of anxiety settled into the pit of his stomach. As much as he disliked the young man that married his daughter the obvious look of distress in his eyes was enough to put Marco on edge.

The rest of Rose and Michael's families closed ranks and stood around the young man waiting for him to explain what was going on. For such a large crowd the silence was deafening.

Michael continued, "Rose has noncancerous tumors in both of her ears. The doctors have prescribed medication to clear up the ear infection. They are also giving her something that may or may not shrink the tumors. These tumors could make Rose go deaf eventually. So if the medicine doesn't work she'll have to have surgery. Dr. Drake and Dr. Webber are in favor of doing the surgery sooner rather than later."

The waiting room seemed like a vacuum. No one had the courage to say anything at the moment. There were just looks of disbelief and sorrow.

"We know how much you guys love us and want to be there for us. That is especially true in a situation like this, but what we need right now is time. We need time to sit with this and figure out what decision to make. It would be easier to do that without all of you trying to be helpful. We both know you'd all take this pain away if you could, but you can't. Mom, Rose and I were hoping that you could keep the boys over night…"

Carly felt tears wetting the corners of her eyes but she quickly nodded, "Of course, sweetheart. Nicolas and Roman have been having a blast playing with Josslyn. I'd love to keep them for the night."

Marco asked, "Where is my daughter?"

Michael said, "I know this is difficult, Marco, but Rose needs you to think of her right now. She needs time to process this and she can't do that with people hovering over her. Give us a day to find our feet again and she'll call you."

He brushed past Michael, "I'll just go to her room."

Mateo, Rose's older brother, stepped in front of his father and said, "Don't make an ass out of yourself. This isn't about you. Rose just had a major bomb dropped on her life. She has tumors in her body. She could lose her hearing…think about what that is doing to her right now. Don't be a nuisance."

Marco's jaw twitched in anger. "I'm her father."

Mateo replied, "And he is her husband. One sort of trumps the other in this situation."

Michael said, "He can go to Rose's room if he likes. She won't be there. She's barely holding it together. I'll protect my wife…even if it is from her father. That is all I have to say on the matter. My wife needs me. I am going to go be with Rose."

Marco stared in absolute disbelief. He strode toward Michael's retreating figure but was held back by Mateo.

"Knock it off before you find yourself on the outside looking in permanently. I moved my family out of your house. Rose lives on her own and Xavier wants Mom to get physical custody. You are losing your kids one by one," said Mateo.

He let his father go and turned to collect his wife. He kissed his mother on the cheek. "We'll meet at your place later to talk about what we can do for Rose when she and Michael are ready for it."

Theresa nodded slightly and hugged her son. "Could you take Xavier with you? You can bring him home a little later when you come over for that talk. I'm not really in the frame of mind…."

Mateo nodded in understanding. "I get it. We'll see you later, Mom."

He motioned for his baby brother to follow him and headed toward the elevator with his wife, Raina.

Carly dropped into a chair feeling almost numb at the moment. The pain her son was suffering was causing a physical pain for her. She wanted to fix it. She wanted to make it better somehow, but it wasn't possible. Worse yet he didn't want her help at the moment and she could understand that.

Sonny turned to Kristina and asked, "Could you take Morgan home, Kristina. Carly and I will be there later."

Kristina nodded, "Sure, Dad. I think Molly and I will hang out with him for awhile. Come on, guys."

Dante heaved a sigh and left with the younger kids.

Sonny watched the children leave before having a seat next to Carly.

Carly looked at Sonny. "How are we supposed to help him, Sonny? Did you see the look on his face? He was this close to breaking down. My baby…"

Sonny rubbed her back and said, "I don't have the answer Carly. I wish that I did. The only thing we can do is respect their wishes. We want to help right now to make ourselves feel better that isn't helping them. It isn't what they need."

Theresa nodded in agreement and had a seat across from Sonny and Carly. "The last thing any of us wants to do is make this harder for them. I just hate that they have to suffer this kind of pain. It feels so unfair. They've both been through so much."

Marco asked, "So we do nothing? I knew that him marrying my daughter was a bad idea but everyone pressured me into letting it happen."

Theresa sighed heavily, "Letting it happen? Rose was already 18 years old, Marco. What would you have done to stop the wedding? Kidnap her? Send her to a nunnery? Get over yourself. She's an adult and she gets to make her own decisions and I happen to think that marrying Michael was a damn good one. He loves our daughter completely. He loves our grandson and adopted them as his own sons. And he was ready to kick your ass to protect Rose. That is a good man. That is a good husband."

Carly said, "I hardly think my son marrying your daughter caused tumors in Rose's ears."

"Marco, I've known you for years and I know you love your daughter. She's your only little girl, but my son is not the enemy here. Rose has been good for Michael. He loves her and she loves him. God bless them both," said Sonny.

Marco walked away not ready to accept any of this.

Theresa sighed and shook her head, "He knows that we are right. Marco is just slow to come around sometimes. I don't know why but he is."

Carly said, "Watching your children grow up and pull away from you is hard. Michael has been with me the longest and I depend on him the most. When he started seeing Rose I…didn't like her."

Sonny chuckled softly and replied, "I noticed."

"I didn't like her because I saw the way he looked at her and I'd never seen my son look at anyone that way before. I remember it like it was yesterday. We were in this hospital in this waiting room when we saw Michael hugging and lifting some girl in the air. He was so happy and the way his eyes sparkled when he looked at Rose…I just knew," said Carly.

Theresa smiled, "I was worried when I saw how much Rose liked Michael. I was scared of her getting her heartbroken again, but the more I got to know Michael I knew my daughter's heart was safe with him. How can we help them?"

Carly asked, "What about meals? They shouldn't have to worry about cooking."

Sonny chuckled, "You're going to cook? I thought we were trying to help them?"

Carly laughed and lightly slapped his arm, "I didn't say anything about me cooking anything, Sonny. I was meaning that I could have meals from the MetroCourt sent over to their house. That way they don't feel like we are trying to barge in."

Sonny said, "Even that should wait for the day. Let's give them tonight alone, like they asked."


	27. Chapter 27

Rose was seated next to Michael on their bed. She reached over and took his hand with a small smile, "That is the 5th time you've checked your phone in as many minutes. I think you should just go up to the cabin to check on Johnny and Ethan. You are worried about them and you should be. They were shot."

Michael shook his head, "I am not going to leave you right now. You need me. I'm your husband."

He was still unable to forgive himself for not being with Rose when she fell ill at Sonny's house. The days leading up to the incident Michael could tell that something was wrong but he figured it was just a cold. Now all he could think about were the tumors growing in his wife's ears. If he had his way Dr. Drake would be cutting them out right now, but that wasn't really his decision. This was Rose's body and she got to call the shots. Michael tried valiantly to hide his concern. He didn't want to guilt Rose into doing something she was not ready to do. It just made him worry about losing her. That thought scared him more than anything else did in the world. She was the other half to his whole.

She chuckled softly and kissed his cheek.

"Michael Corinthos, I know that you are my husband, but you also have a job to do. More than that, you care about Johnny and Ethan. You have been the perfect husband for the last three days. You have not left my side once and you have kept our families from driving me crazy. You have been like a guard dog, but it is time to get back to a somewhat normal routine. You have business you need to take care of and I need to come out of hiding. I am having lunch today with Carly, Raina, Krissy, and my mother."

Michael studied her face to see if she was just trying to make him feel better, but all he saw was genuine admiration. He lightly caressed her cheek and said, "I just want to know that you are going to be okay."

"Michael, I am going to be fine. I am taking the medicine Dr. Drake prescribed for me. My surgery is scheduled for two days after graduation. My hearing should be perfectly fine by the time we start college in August. Staying with me isn't going to rid me of the tumors or improve my hearing. You made a vow to me but you made one to Johnny too when you joined his organization. You and Ethan are the closest Johnny has to a family. Krissy is so worried about Ethan. I bet she would be happy to hear from her big brother that he's doing okay," Rose pointed out.

"Fine, I will go up to the cabin to check on them. They probably need some more supplies anyway, but when I come back I expect you to be in this bed and resting. Dad hired Dinah so that we don't have to worry about doing all of the little things around the house and I will pick up Nicolas and Roman from the hotel after I make it back tonight."

Rose smiled, "It is a teachers' in-service day. I am not about to waste a perfectly nice free day in bed. I promise that all I will do today is have lunch with family and then go to the spa. After that I will come back home and rest so that I will be ready for school tomorrow."

She decided not to mention that Krissy and Molly intended to drag her on a shopping excursion. It would only make Michael worry more and he probably wouldn't go to the cabin. Rose enjoyed spending time with the girls too much to turn them down.

Rose grabbed his phone and sent Johnny a text message. _*I'm on my way there*_

He read the message and laughed, "I guess that means I have to go now. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Oh, and don't call Carly or Krissy to check up on me. I will be watching them like a hawk," Rose threatened.

He smirked and replied, "You know me so well. I promise I will not obsess while I am gone. Do you need me to drop you off at the Metro Court?"

Rose shook her, "No, Krissy has volunteered to pick me up for lunch and she will bring me back afterward. You do not have to worry about me. Now get out of here so that I can get a shower and get dressed. I don't want Krissy to have to wait for me when she shows up."

Michael kissed her softly and said, "Fine. I will leave you to it but if you need me just call my phone and I will come right back."

She stood up and headed for the bathroom. "I know that you would but I won't need you. I love you, Michael."

"I love you too, Rosie."

Michael collected his wallet, a light jacket, and his car keys. He stopped to set the alarm before he left the house and then climbed into his car.

As he drove away from the lake house, he was quietly compiling a list of items he would need to pick up before going to the cabin. He was sure they were running low on things like food, drinks, and first aid supplies.

Michael spent nearly an hour running errands around Port Charles in an attempt to gather everything Johnny and Ethan could possibly need. He hated that they were so far away from the city. It made it harder to check in on the pair. The only saving grace was that Luke was also helping out.

Soon enough he was on the road to the cabin with the music playing loud in his ears. He was mindful to keep his eyes on the road and in his rearview mirror. The last thing he wanted to do was lead anyone up to the cabin. Ethan and Johnny were in no condition to fight off attackers and they would be seriously outgunned.

He was 30 minutes into the trip when he realized that a dark colored sedan was following him closely. Michael changed lanes a few times and watched as the car mimicked his every move.

Michael saw a turn off coming up ahead and decided to take it although it was in the opposite direction of the cabin. He needed to figure out who was following him and for what reason.

It was at this moment that he found himself wishing for more training. He had done well enough to spot the tail but now he had no clue how to handle it.

He grabbed his phone and called Jason while he steered with one hand. Periodically he glanced into the rearview mirror to confirm the sedan was still following him.

Jason answered the phone, "Hi, Michael. How are you?"

Michael said, "Jason, I need your help. I didn't really know who else to call."

The older man walked out onto the balcony. Alexis and Sam were in the living room with Spinelli.

He asked, "What's going on and where are you?"

"I was going up to the cabin to take some supplies to Johnny and Ethan, but I noticed that a car was following me. I changed lanes a couple of times and passed a few cars. The car kept up with me the whole time. Instead of going on to the cabin, I took a detour. The car is still following me and now a SVU has joined in. I've got no clue what to do. I don't think I can lose them. This road is a two lane straight shot. I could turn around and go back to the main road but that might tip them off that I know I'm being followed."

Jason closed his eyes a moment feeling the stress descend on him. This was precisely why he didn't want Michael involved in this business. He knew that his nephew was capable but he didn't want him taking these kinds of risks.

"What detour did you take?"

Michael said, "I turned onto Route 15."

Jason thought about that and walked back into the penthouse. "Spinelli, I need you to hack into Michael's GPS and tell me exactly where he is and what businesses are in that area."

Michael maintained his speed and continued glancing in the rearview mirror. He felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach but he knew that he had to remain calm. He was suddenly glad he remembered to bring the gun he swiped from Carly's bedroom. It just might come in handy.

It took several minutes but finally Jason said, "Listen there is a truck stop coming up in about 3 and ½ miles. I want you to pull into there, go in the diner, and have a seat at the counter. Order a big lunch and just stay there. I'm on my way."

"Jason, I can't ask you to do this. I don't work for the Corinthos organization."

"I know that but you are my nephew and you are Sonny's son. We are never going to stop protecting you. Just hold tight. I'll be there before you know it."

Michael said, "Thanks, Jason."

He ended the call and managed to maintain his composure. It wouldn't do to freak out now. He was already in the thick of things. His mind went back to all the things Jason taught him in prison. Michael needed to be able to control himself and pay attention to his surroundings. That was the best way to ensure no one would get the drop on him.

He called Johnny deciding it was best to warn him. He was the boss in this scenario.

It took several rings before Johnny answered the phone, "Michael, what's up? I got your text. Are you almost here?"

"No, there has been a change in plans. On my way up, I noticed that someone was following me. I'm headed to a diner on Route 15 where Jason is going to meet me. I think someone is trying to follow me to you."

Johnny muttered, "Damn it. Turn around and go back home. I don't want you to risk it. Jason can't guarantee that he will make it there before they approach you."

"I'm not turning back because then they'll suspect something is wrong and we don't know that they don't already have a location on you. I'm not leaving you and Ethan up there completely unprotected. Is Luke even there?"

Johnny went quiet.

Michael said, "I joined your family because we are friends, Johnny. Friends don't leave friends to be murdered just because they're nervous. Jason and I will be there soon. In the meantime just keep an eye out."

"Be careful, Michael. I won't forgive myself if you get yourself killed," said Johnny.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Michael replied and ended the call.

Michael felt a sense of relief at seeing a sign indicating the truck stop was only 2 miles away. He reduced his speed because he knew Jason would need time to cover the distance he'd already traveled.

However, there was only so long Michael could stretch out the short distance and sooner than he liked he was pulling into the parking lot. He picked space close to the door and parked.

Michael grabbed Sonny's gun from the glove compartment and tucked it discreetly in his messenger bag. He got out of the car and walked into the diner.

He was glad to see a couple empty seats at the counter that would afford him a good view of the only entrance. He didn't like the idea of anyone being able to sneak up on him.

An older woman walked over to Michael as he sat down. She handed him a menu and asked, "What can I get you to drink, hon?"

Michael glanced at the menu and asked, "Can I still get breakfast?"

She smiled and said, "We do breakfast all day long."

He smiled, "In that case I want to get a coffee, Marian."

"I'll be right back with your coffee and I'll be ready to take your order."

Michael's eyes looked over the menu quickly looking for the most involved meal and decided he'd just make it up as he went along. He would order the whole menu if that was what it took. He could see that the sedan was parked a few spaces down from his car. At the moment he couldn't see the SUV.

Marian returned with the coffee and motioned to the cream and sugar to his right. "Do you know what you want?"

Michael said, "I'd like to get your roadside breakfast platter but I want to add extra bacon and two extra eggs over easy to that. Also, I'd like to get the pancake special with the sausage. Oh, and the breakfast parfait sounds really good. Could you also add the Denver omelet to that order?"

The older woman didn't seem shocked by his order but that was probably because she served truck drivers on a regular basis. Often times they didn't stop for real food until it was time to refuel. The rest of the time, they snacked on whatever junk food they stocked in the cab of the truck.

She flashed a smile and said, "I like a young man that has a good appetite. I'll get your order right up, sweetie pie."

Michael grinned in response, "Thank you."

He added cream and sugar to his coffee and discreetly looked out the window. The sedan was still idling in the parking space. However, the windows were tinted and he couldn't see the driver. He wondered if it was Anthony Zacchara. The old man had to know that his attempt on Johnny's life had not been successful.

Michael glanced at his cell phone and tried to estimate how fast Jason could get here and if he was unwittingly drawing him into a trap. Maybe this was what they wanted from Michael. He was struggling with his decision when Marian returned with the first part of his order.

Suddenly he realized that he was actually hungry. He didn't bother to eat breakfast that morning. Michel drenched his huge stack of pancakes with syrup and dived in.

Marian smiled and asked, "You're married?"

Michael was about to ask how she knew that before realizing he was wearing his wedding band. He swallowed the fluffy mass of pancakes and washed it down with coffee.

"Yes, I'm married."

She huffed but chuckled, "You don't look like more than a child."

"Well, I guess you could say that. I'm 19 years old. I've been married for a little over a month," said Michael.

Marian's eyes lit up. "Young love. Was it love at first sight?"

Michael picked up his phone and flicked through the pictures. He found the one from their childhood and showed it to the waitress, "I'd say so."

She gasped softly and cooed appreciatively. "Look at that. You two were absolutely adorable."

His cheeks flushed, "Thank you. We actually went back to that place to get married in that spot."

Marian said, "Aww."

Michael flicked through the pictures and found the one of them after their wedding on the beach.

The older woman looked at the picture and her eyes got a little glassy. "You two are just too cute for words. It reminds me of my Bobby and me. He' s the big lug cooking your breakfast. We went to grade school together and got married right after high school."

"How long have you two been married if you don't mind my asking," Michael said as he forked another bite of pancakes into his mouth.

"I don't mind none at all. We've been married 34 years this March and I hope we have 30 more," said Marian.

He smiled, "I hope my wife and I last that long too."

She patted Michael's hand and said, "I'm sure that you will. I'd better go get the rest of your order."

Michael continued eating his pancakes and sausage. He still looked out into the parking lot but nothing had changed. A few cars had come and gone but the sedan was still in the same spot.

20 minutes passed and Michael was devouring the massive breakfast in front of him when he heard the familiar rumble of a motorcycle.

Jason parked and then walked into the diner. He was relieved to see Michael safe at the counter. He took a seat next to his nephew and asked, "How much did you order?"

Michael shrugged, "I didn't know how long it would take you to get here. I had to make it believable. Thanks for coming."

"You don't have to thank me, Michael. Did the cars follow you in here?"

Michael said, "The car three spaces to the left is the first car that was following me. I haven't seen the second one. I don't know if they kept going or parked out of sight. What's the plan?"

Jason said, "We're going to sit here and talk. I'm going to order breakfast and afterward we're going to go up to the cabin."

The younger man looked at his uncle incredulously.

Jason continued, "Where Sonny and the rest of the guys will be laying in wait."

Marian walked over and smiled at Michael. "Who's the cute friend?"

He chuckled, "This is my uncle, Jason."

Marian said, "Well, I definitely saw the family resemblance. What can I get you to drink?"

Jason said, "I'll have coffee and a glass of water please."

She slid with menu to Jason and walked away to retrieve his beverages.

Michael said, "I'm really feeling like I should have stayed home today."

The older man shook his head, "It is better this way. Eventually, this person would have gotten impatient and cornered you in Port Charles. We don't know how that would have turned out. This is better. This we can control."

Marian placed the coffee and water in front of Jason. She asked, "What else can I get you, handsome?"

Jason had not bothered to look at the menu. He looked to Michael and asked, "What did you get?"

Michael chuckled, "He'll have the roadside breakfast platter with extra bacon and scrambled eggs."

Marian smiled, "He's lucky he has you to tell him what's good."

After Marian went back to the grill Jason asked, "Has anyone got out of the car?"

Michael shook his head, "No, I've been watching. I haven't seen anyone go near my car either."

Jason nodded, "So how are you and Rose doing? Carly has been worried sick about the two of you."

"Rose is doing better than I am. I'm worried and she's positive. I guess we make a good couple in that way. I really wish she would get the surgery done right now but she wants to graduate on time and she wants to go to prom. None of that stuff matters to me. I just want her healthy but I understand that we only have one chance at these memories. I'm sorry that we've made everyone worry I just wanted Rose to have the privacy to come to a decision on her own. Our families can be…"

Jason supplied, "Suffocating? Overbearing? Nosey? Pushy?"

Michael laughed, "All of the above. How is Jake doing?"

Jason sobered somewhat and said, "He's doing better. The doctors are monitoring his condition closely. He's taking medicine to get rid of the excess copper in his body and medicine to help maintain a normal level of copper in the body. It is good they caught it now. Later in life and he might have needed a liver transplant."

Michael said, "That's great news. I was happy when I got my test results back. I don't have Wilson's disease and my copper levels are normal. I just don't understand why you kept Jake a secret for so long."

It was an honest questions and a good one but it wasn't something Jason was looking forward to talking about. However, Michael deserved an answer.

"Elizabeth and I decided that it was for the best. The thing about this life, Michael, is that no matter how hard you try the people you love are going to be in danger. I thought that Elizabeth and Lucky would be able to give Jake a safer life."

Michael lowered his eyes and asked, "Because of me?"

"No, not just because of you. When you were born, I was naïve. I honestly believed that I could keep you safe."

"You did keep me safe, Jason."

He shook his head replied, "Not safe enough. You saw too much, learned too much, and were hurt too much. I will always feel guilty for the pain that you've suffered. I just loved you so much I couldn't imagine leaving you with the Quartermaines."

Michael said, "We all like to believe that if we could go back in time and change one decision that everything would fall into place the way we think it should but the truth is we never really know what might have happened on that road we didn't take. The grass is always greener on the other side. I wonder some days what would have happened if I didn't go to the warehouse that day with Dad. Maybe the shooter would have killed him. I would prefer a year in a coma to a lifetime without my father."

Jason looked at Michael intently and offered the barest of smiles. He knew that the boy was right. He couldn't guarantee that his life with the Quartermaines would have been painless. Carly would have been a wreck living in the Quartermaine house. AJ was an alcoholic. Michael might have turned out worse or been hurt more. He just couldn't get past the guilt.

Michael asked, "Are you going to spend time with Jake now that everyone knows the truth?"

"Elizabeth and Lucky have agreed to let me spend time with Jake. We aren't going to tell him that I am his father. He's young for that but it will be good to get to know him."

Michael smiled and said, "That's great Jason. I'm really happy for you."


	28. Chapter 28

Sonny paced the floor of the cabin. He was waiting for Jason and Michael to arrive. The text he received 10 minutes ago said they were almost there. He had 15 of his best people with him. Sonny didn't know exactly who was after Johnny or what they wanted. He did know one thing and that was they needed to be prepared for anything.

The phone call from Jason had chilled his bones. Someone was following his son up to the cabin where Johnny and Ethan were hiding out. Anything could have happened. They could have run Michael off the road or cut him off and taken him hostage by force.

This was exactly what he had hoped to shield his son from by turning him down. Instead, he joined a more unstable family that was in the throes of a civil war. If Anthony didn't kill him one of the other families might. They were looking to carve up the Zacchara territory amongst themselves. They all recognized that Anthony was more unstable in his old age and it was nearly impossible to have a long lasting truce with him. They thought Johnny was too young and incapable of getting his house in order and that made him look weak. There was something Sonny had been mulling over since making it back from the island and now was the right time to broach the subject.

Max stepped into the cabin and said, "Boss, Michael and Jason are pulling up now."

Sonny picked up his gun and stepped out of the door.

Michael drove his SUV around the back of the cabin and hopped out.

Milo said, "The boss wants you inside the cabin in case anyone manages to get by us."

Michael thought about arguing but knew it was no use. He went in through the backdoor and pulled his gun from the messenger bag.

Johnny looked up from the couch and said, "We've really got to talk about you following orders."

The younger man smiled, "I'd follow them if I didn't think you might get killed."

They heard more vehicles pulling up in front of the house and loud voices. It wasn't long before shots rang out.

Michael took cover in the cabin as to not be hit by a stray bullet. However, he was worried about Sonny, Jason, and the men that worked for the Corinthos organization. They were only risking their lives because of him.

Several tense minutes passed before the front door to the cabin opened.

Jason forced Anthony Zacchara into the cabin and shoved him into an armchair.

Johnny sat upright on the couch supporting his injuries. "Well, I should have known you'd be coming to finish the job."

Anthony asked, "John, what is this? Are you Sonny Corinthos' lapdog now?"

Sonny walked into the room and closed the cabin door.

Johnny said, "Sonny is here because you had men following his son. Michael spotted your tail almost immediately. You are getting sloppy in your old age."

Anthony's expression soured. He figured they had been made when they walked into an ambush but he didn't like hearing it out loud.

"Why am I still breathing?" asked Anthony.

Sonny took a seat in the other chair and said, "Well, that's why we are here today. I would kill you in a moment's notice. You've been a thorn in my side for far too long but you are still Johnny's father and I'm not looking to wage a war with my son in the middle."

Jason continued, "I've spoken to Johnny about getting rid of you but he's been reluctant. I can understand. A complicated relationship with your father doesn't mean that you want him dead."

Johnny frowned, "Although I am softening to the idea since you've tried to kill me twice now."

Sonny said, "I've been thinking for a few weeks now about a way to finally sever whatever hold you have over Johnny. You're a despicable piece of human filth. I knew there had to be something you've done that would set him off. I've had Spinelli researching Johnny, Claudia, you, and your former wives since Michael's wedding. For awhile it was just the run of the mill things that Johnny already knew about but then we struck gold."

Johnny straightened up even more although he was in serious pain. He looked between Sonny and then Anthony trying to figure out what was going on. "What'd you find?'

Michael moved to stand beside the couch. He was interested in what Spinelli found too.

"Spinelli was going over medical records and hospital stays as a sort of last ditch effort. He realized that in November of 1984 Claudia had a weeklong hospital stay. Do you know what else happened in November of 1984?" asked Sonny.

Johnny's eyes widened as he processed the information. He started to shake his head and said, "No…"

"Maria Zacchara, your mother, did not stay in a hospital in that month," Sonny continued.

Anthony said, "Stop it! Shut up, Sonny. He's telling you lies, John. It's all lies. He just wants to split us apart because he knows that there is no other way to do it."

Johnny's fists clenched and he growled, "Go on, Sonny."

"You were born in Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx, New York on November 22, 1984. Your mother was Claudia Domenica Zacchara age 15. There's no father listed on the birth certificate."

Jason walked over and handed the copy to Johnny.

Johnny read over the document and shook his head. "This can't be right. Claudia would have told me if she was my…say something, Anthony! Say something!"

Anthony said, "It is lies, Johnny. You are my son."

Sonny said, "I'm not lying and I bet this explains a lot about why Claudia was the way she was. Getting pregnant at 15. Your father and his second wife passing off your baby as their own. It was around 16 that Anthony shipped Claudia off, right?"

Johnny whispered, "After I was born."

His eyes became glassy and his breathing became labored.

"He's not your father. He tortured you and Claudia your whole lives. Why should he continue to live?" asked Sonny.

Johnny struggled to hold back tears. He looked at Anthony and said, "If you never tell me the truth about anything else…tell me the truth about this. Why didn't you ever tell me? Who is my father?"

Anthony struggled to find words. He answered, "Gino Soleito."

Now even Sonny and Jason looked dumbfounded.

Johnny asked, "What?"

"Gino was holding something major over my head. It was something that could have sent me to prison for the rest of my life. I needed to get something I could blackmail him with to keep his silence. It was sort of a nuclear option situation. Everyone knew that Gino had a fetish for young girls. He was always picking up young prostitutes. I hatched a plan to use Claudia."

Johnny's mouth fell open, "You pimped out my mother, your own daughter, to a mob boss twice her age?"

Sonny's lips curled in disgust. He wasn't fond of Claudia but he couldn't imagine anyone doing that to a child, let alone their own child. "It is no wonder that Claudia was always trying to find ways to end you."

Anthony said, "You've got to believe me when I say it wasn't supposed to happen that way, John. She was just supposed to set him up so that I could take some pictures. That is all asked her to do. Anything else was all her doing. She was always doing whatever she wanted. Claudia never thought about the consequences."

"She was a child! It was your job to think about the consequences. It was your job to protect her not dangle her in front of your enemies. You should have never put her in that situation! Do you see what you did to her? Do you see what you did to both of us? My mother died and she never got to hear me call her that. I never got to feel that love that I deserved. The love that I needed so desperately because you sent her away and then you killed the woman pretending to be my mother. You are a monster. You have no soul. I don't think you ever did."

"I am your father! I raised you. Everything I have built over the years has been for your benefit. You are my heir. I made mistakes but you are my family, John. You are my son."

"No, I'm your grandson and you were coming here today to kill me. So much for the legacy you were trying to leave to me. We are nothing to each other anymore."

Anthony's eyes widened and said, "Don't let Sonny do this to us. He wants to put a wedge between us so that he can manipulate you. He is only doing this to punish you for letting the kid work for you."

Johnny looked to Sonny and asked, "What are you proposing?"

Sonny said, "I'm proposing that you become my son and we merge our families. The other families are waiting in the wings to pick the Zacchara organization apart. That will happen whether it is you or Anthony in power. That means they will have a foothold in Port Charles and I can't allow that and I won't let my son be a target."

"What are you talking about, Sonny?"

"The other families want to wipe the Zacchara organization off the map. The Soleitos in particular. They knew Anthony was attacking your warehouse that day and they didn't try to warn you. They wanted for it to play out. Your family has been in upheaval for too long and they see both of you as liabilities. Merging two families is easy with a marriage but I only have two daughters and neither can marry you. There is another option. There is no father listed on your birth certificate but one can be added through a paternity test."

Johnny looked confused, "But you aren't my father and the test would prove that."

Sonny said, "It wouldn't if we changed the results. Afterward I would fill out an acknowledgement of paternity form and submit it to family court. At that point, my name would be added to your birth certificate and legally I would be your father. The idea came to me after I did the same for my youngest daughter Josslyn. Jax was on her birth certificate but after a paternity test all I had to do was fill out a few forms and voila."

Anthony stared at Johnny and yelled, "You can't be thinking about doing this! He's responsible for your sister's death! He drove her crazy and then his son killed her!"

Sonny said, "First, Claudia was his mother and not his sister. Second, don't pretend that you ever cared about Claudia. I was wrong. I treated her badly. It took some time with Kristina's therapist and a serious conversation with Olivia but I can recognize now that I was emotionally abusive. I just didn't see it at the time because Claudia could give as good as she got. What I didn't see is that every verbal jab was breaking her down just a little more. In my head, I never thought about it being abuse because I never hit her. I had this one definition of abuse in my mind. It was what I went through as a kid. I see now that I was tearing her down on purpose to make her feel as lousy as I felt. The night of her party was the last straw and I pushed her over the edge. I have to live with that and I will be judged for it but you started her down that road long before I ever met her."

Johnny looked torn. He knew that the other families would come after him and it wouldn't end well. He would lose everything and perhaps his life if he didn't run. At the same time, he couldn't trust Sonny. He had broken Claudia down but hearing him admit that he abused her was a step in the right direction. It was as honest as he had ever heard Sonny be about anything.

"What assurances do I have that you won't turn on me too?" asked Johnny.

"Michael believes in you. He cares about you and has since I was married to your mother. Kristina and Morgan both care about you. Kristina trusts you even when I didn't want her to because she saw your real personality and I only saw you as an adversary. Olivia and even Carly have been able to see the good in you. This is for our mutual survival because if the other families get a toehold in Port Charles they will be gunning for me next. I swear on the lives of my children that I will protect you like one of my own. You will be a trusted lieutenant and second only to Jason. The people that you trust will have a place in our combined organization. That includes Michael and Ethan. All you have to do is agree that Anthony has to die."

Johnny said, "I need to talk it over with Ethan and Michael."

Sonny nodded, "That is a fair request. Take your time."

Anthony said, "John, I raised you. I wasn't a good father but I loved you. Don't make a deal with the devil out of your hatred for me. Once I'm gone…he'll kill you too."

Johnny said, "That's the thing about Sonny. He isn't a great father. His selfishness puts his kids in danger all the time and he's overbearing, but he loves his kids. So if he swears on their lives then I believe him."

Michael followed Johnny into the bedroom where Ethan was laying. Johnny's second in command heard the entire exchange and was already sitting up in the bed.

Michael closed the door and leaned against the wall.

Ethan said, "I'm so sorry, mate. That is a hell of a way to find out about everything."

"Yeah, my grandfather is trying to kill me and my sister was my mother. I'm having the best day ever."

Michael said, "She always loved you, Johnny. Anyone with eyes could see that."

Ethan asked, "What are we going to do?"

"Sonny isn't lying about the other families. You know they've been trying to make a move on our territory for the last couple months. My handling of Anthony has made me look incompetent. They will come in, kill everyone off, and take the spoils of war. I could leave New York but I would never be able to show my face here again. I mean I'd have to change my name and disappear."

Ethan said, "Or you take the name of the man you despise more than anyone in the world. Sorry, Michael."

Michael shook his head and said, "No need. I know how Johnny feels about my dad."

Johnny said, "You're being pretty quiet on the subject. Do you want to weigh in?"

"My dad went to a lot of trouble to find just the right thing to turn you against Anthony for good. The easiest solution would have been to kill both of you and make it look like another family was responsible. He keeps me from walking away from his family and it keeps me safe from the other families. This is as close to an olive branch as you'll ever get from my father. If I were in your shoes, I would take it. The alternative is moving to Boise and changing your name to Bob."

Johnny chuckled at the Boise crack.

Ethan nodded and said, "I agree with Michael. There were easier ways to get rid of Anthony. Ways that do not involve Sonny essentially adopting you. I mean once his name is on that birth certificate he is legally your father. However, the question is can you do this? All of the hate and the pain…it will still be there. Can you have a working relationship with Sonny without it involving guns?"

Johnny sighed and said, "I'll be second behind Jason which isn't a bad place to be. You and Michael will still have places in the organization and I can bring any of my people that I think are trustworthy. I'll have to talk money with Sonny but….all things being equal I think I'll say yes."

Ethan nodded, "You're making the right choice, mate."

Michael beamed, "It looks like I have a new brother."

Johnny chuckled and shook his head, "Well, let's go tell them the good news."

Ethan said, "Wait for me. I want to go."

Michael helped Ethan onto his feet and they walked into the living room.

Sonny could already tell that the answer was a yes. His dimples were on display, as he couldn't contain his glee. Anthony was as good as done.

Johnny said, "We need to talk money."

"Whatever you have now is yours even once it is folded into the Corinthos organization. If we have interests that are at odds, we'll merge them and share the profits. Any new ventures we will work out a split we both feel is right. That is a deal that will come in handy when you see what I have planned for the waterfront."

Johnny raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you have planned?"

Sonny said, "It took dealing, wheeling, incentives, and Diane Miller but I managed to pry a gaming license out of the commission. That waterfront property that has just been sitting there is going to be a casino and resort. It will be a very large and very legal source of income."

"Well, in that case I'm in."

Anthony yelled, "You can't do this! I'm your father!"

Johnny shook his head, "No, you're not."

Jason pulled Anthony out of the chair and said, "I'll handle this."

Johnny said, "Wait."

Anthony breathed a sigh of relief, "I knew you couldn't do it."

"If anyone is going to kill Anthony it should be me. I owe it to Claudia, Maria, and myself. I have to see this to the end."

Jason looked at Sonny who nodded in response.

Johnny picked up his gun from the coffee table and followed them outside.


	29. Chapter 29

Michael slowly trudged up the stairs feeling dead on his feet. He anticipated being home hours ago but nothing about today had gone to plan. Even worse, he would have to get up bright and early the next morning to go to school. There were only a few weeks left and this was not the time to start skipping days.

He paused outside of Nicolas and Roman's bedroom and quietly opened their door. The fire truck themed room was illuminated by two nightlights. Both boys were sleeping peacefully and probably had been for hours.

Michael was exhausted but knowing his family was safe for another night made it all worthwhile. However, he felt a small twinge of guilt for missing out on an entire day with his sons. He had not seen them in two days now. The previous night they stayed with his mother while Rose tried to get situated at home. Michael made a mental note to carve out some time for them during the weekend.

He silently closed their door and continued down the hall to the room he shared with Rose. Michael expected her to be asleep but couldn't help smiling when he found her curled up in the bed with a textbook.

He closed their bedroom door and moved over to sit beside her on the bed.

"You didn't have to wait up for me, Rose. You need your rest and you have school tomorrow," Michael said, he was still worried about her health.

Rose closed the book and said, "You are full of yourself, Corinthos. I was just studying. I wasn't waiting up for you at all."

Michael tilted his head to the side to catch a glimpse of the textbook's cover.

He smirked and said, "I'd be more likely to believe you if that wasn't your AP Government and Economics book. You could pass that class in your sleep. You can pass all of your classes with minimal effort because you are a genius. I mean you'd have to be, you married me."

She laughed softly and kissed Michael with a small smile. She didn't like the tired expression Michael was trying to hide from her.

Rose said, "Okay, I admit that I was waiting for you to come home but I do need to start reviewing all of the chapters for the final exam. The test is comprehensive and I want to make sure that I am ready. There's really no room for error when you are getting ready to graduate. How was your day?"

Michael kicked off his shoes and tossed them in the corner of the room. He didn't want to worry about either of them tripping over the shoes in the middle of the night. They'd learned that lesson the hard way last week.

"You tell me about your day while I get ready for bed. Then I will fill you in about mine. Deal?" asked Michael, he knew that staying up too late was out of the question for both of them.

Rose smiled and said, "Fine."

Michael kissed her, stood up, and started getting ready for bed.

"Kristina picked me up and we talked about her situation with Ethan. She is worried about him after the whole getting shot thing. She tried to get more information out of me about his condition. Kristina thinks Ethan is worse off than he is letting on. She's right but I told her that I didn't know anything more. We met up with everyone else at the Metro Court's spa. It was really great. I was there a lot longer than I thought I would be because your mother sprung for the top tier spa package. I had a facial, a full-body massage, a full-body exfoliation, a wrap, a manicure, a pedicure, and a waxing. We all had lunch together at the Metro Court. Afterward Krissy and I went to the salon. I got my hair highlighted."

Michael was in the process of brushing his teeth in the bathroom when he heard that she had something done to her hair. He stepped out of the bathroom with the brush still in his mouth.

Rose waved him off with a laugh, "My hair is up in a ponytail. Besides it is hard to see that the color is different under these lights. You'll be able to see it better tomorrow under natural lights. Finish brushing your teeth."

He smirked and went back into the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth.

"After the salon Krissy and I went to a suite at the Metro Court and we tried on a couple dozen dresses. Your dad talked to Kate Howard and managed to pull some strings. There were literally racks of designer dresses waiting for us. We both found dresses that we love. My dress fits perfectly but Kristina's dress will need to be taken in a little. The woman said that it would be no problem and should be ready two days before prom. We went shoe shopping, picked up the boys, and then came back here. Kristina hung out with us until about 9:00. That was my amazing day."

Michael turned off the light in the bathroom and crossed the room to their bed. He was wearing a black tank top and a matching pair of pajama bottoms.

Rose moved her books and binders off of Michael's side of the bed and relaxed against the headboard. She was feeling pretty exhausted but there was no way she was going to tell Michael that. It would just make him worry more and she didn't want that. He had enough on his plate.

She said, "I told you all about my day."

Michael slid in next to Rose and said, "You did a lot more today than we talked about but I am glad that you had a good time. Are you feeling okay?"

"Michael, I was sitting down for the majority of the day. You don't actually have to do anything at the spa or the salon. They pretty much do everything for you. The only hectic activity was trying on dresses. Kristina made sure that I didn't tire myself out. I feel fine. Now that I know something is wrong I am more tuned into my body. When I got too tired tonight I put myself to bed since the boys were already down for the night."

He smiled, "As long as you are happy and healthy that is all that matters to me. I am going to tell you about my day but I don't want you to freak out."

She gave a skeptical look and a nervous laugh, "That is not the best way to start a conversation, Michael. I promise that I won't freak out."

"When I left town to go see Johnny and Ethan I realized that a car was following me. I called for help because I wasn't really sure what to do. Jason met up with me at a diner and then we headed to the safe house together. My dad and his guys were already there waiting to intercept whoever was following me. It turns out it was Anthony and his goons. They were trying to finish off Johnny and Ethan."

Rose let out a nervous breath, she said, "And you. I'm so glad you realized someone was following you, Michael. I don't even want to think about what could have happened. What kind of monster tries to kill his own child?"

Michael kissed her cheek and said, "Well, Anthony didn't know that I've been able to spot a tail since I was 11. I saw him as soon as he started following me. I just waited awhile to make sure I wasn't being paranoid. It turns out I was not paranoid this time around. So at the cabin Jason and my dad sat Anthony down for a talk. You know that they've wanted Johnny to give the okay to get rid of Anthony."

"I know. I also know that Johnny has been dragging his feet. I can't say that I blame him. Good or bad the man is your father and that means something even if he's a bad one," said Rose, she was thinking about her rocky relationship with her own father.

Although her struggles paled in comparison to what Johnny had to endure. She still was only communicating with Marco by text messages. It was easier that way.

He continued, "Well, my dad has had Spinelli looking for dirt that would drive the final nail in Anthony's coffin. It had to be truly heinous to sever that bond. I mean I know what my father does and I still love him. It would have to be something insane to make me turn against him. Well, Spinelli found insane. I guess we shouldn't be surprised about that where Anthony is concerned. What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room for everyone's safety."

Rose looked into Michael's eyes and saw the seriousness of his request. She didn't know what he had to tell her but it had to be something Earth shattering.

She said, "I would never betray your trust by repeating something you tell me in confidence, Michael. We both agreed that the only way a marriage in the business works is if you tell me everything. You have to be able to trust that I will keep your secrets and baby I always will."

Michael took her hand and squeezed it.

He said, "Anthony isn't Johnny's father. He is his grandfather. Claudia is Johnny's mother but Anthony took him away from her as a baby."

Rose felt her jaw fall slack and said, "Oh my God. I can't imagine how Johnny must have felt."

It was shocking news but it resonated with Rose personally because of her own teenage pregnancy. Initially, she worried that her parents were going to do something similar or worse force her into an adoption she didn't want.

"It gets worse," Michael asserted, he could still see the devastated look on Johnny's face.

She said, "It couldn't possibly get any worse. Could it? What am I saying? This is Anthony Zacchara, of course it could get worse."

"Johnny's biological father is Gino Soleito. He's a former mob boss from the city. His son Angelo runs their family now. Gino had serious blackmail material on Anthony and he was looking for a way out. Anthony decided to get Gino in a compromising position with Claudia but things went way too far and she got pregnant with Johnny. This guy was old enough to be her father and Anthony just threw her at him."

Rose leaned her head against the headboard trying to make sense out of this twisted story. Her skinned crawled at the images this story was conjuring up in her brain.

"Why does the name Soleito sound familiar?"

Michael said, "Because I told you that Angelo Soleito got a call warning him away from the warehouse the day Johnny and Ethan got shot. He said he tried to call to warn Johnny but my dad doesn't believe him. The other families don't like the way Johnny has been handling the Anthony situation. They've decided they want both of them dead and they'll pick the bones of what is left of the organization. My dad wants to stop that because he's worried they will push him out of Port Charles in the long run. He hatched a plan with Jason on how to fix all of this. They kill Anthony and then Johnny becomes a Corinthos."

Rose blinked and asked, "What?"

"Yeah, I felt the same way when my dad pitched the idea. Claudia is listed as Johnny's mother on his birth certificate but there is no father. My dad wants to change the results of a paternity test to make himself Johnny's biological father. Afterward he'll petition the court to have his name added to the birth certificate. After that Johnny will be his son by law. My dad's business will absorb the Zacchara family. The two of them are stronger together than apart."

"Did Johnny go for it?" asked Rose, she couldn't imagine either man agreeing to such a proposal.

"Johnny didn't have much of a choice. The other families were going to come after him. He'd have to leave the state of New York altogether to even have a small chance of surviving."

The dark haired young woman blew out a shocked breath.

She said, "I know this sounds so selfish under the circumstances but what does this mean for you."

Michael laughed, "I was worried about the same thing but my dad promised that all of Johnny's men would have a place in the new organization. I have a new brother and a new boss."

"After years of your father telling you no at every turn he is just going to let you join the family?" asked Rose, she was skeptical about trusting sonny in this instance.

"The day we got married my dad offered me a place in his family and I turned him down. He was desperate to keep me safe then and he's desperate to keep all of us safe now. A war with the larger families in the city would be costly and bloody. He doesn't want any of us being targets. If he and Johnny unite they will be formidable. The newly formed family will rival the bigger families in size and the Zaccharas have some South American contacts that my dad does not. My dad has contacts in the Caribbean and Europe that the Zaccharas don't have. It is a smart move for both of them. I know it sounds insane."

Rose nodded and said, "It definitely sounds insane but I get it. Sonny needed a way to bind the families together. It makes his position stronger and it stops the other families from dismantling the Zaccharas. It is also a great way for him to protect you and to keep a close eye on Johnny. Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. It doesn't get any closer than making him your son."

"Yeah, I thought about that. I am sure that Johnny did too but he was out of options and out of time. The families in the city won't wait around for the war between Johnny and Anthony to continue because it is disrupting their business too. This thing has been costing everyone money and attracting the attention of law enforcement."

Rose was still a little shocked but asked, "When will everyone find out that Johnny is Sonny's son?"

"Dad is going to host a party for everyone once the DNA results come back in. It will be similar to what he and my mom did for Joss. Once he tells all of his kids then he will make sure the other families and the media know that Johnny is his son," said Michael.

"How is the whole DNA thing going to work?" asked Rose.

"My mom is on board with Dad's plan. She is going to help. I was shocked."

"I'm not. Your mother would do absolutely anything to keep you safe."

Michael nodded, "That's true. Well, Mom got a cheek swab from Morgan. Tonight at GH Dad distracted the lab technician by having Milo burst into the room. They swapped out Johnny's cheek swab with Morgan's while the guy was distracted. I talked to my grandmother, Monica, and asked her to bump their test to the top of the list. She's doing it as a favor to me. The results should be in by dinner time tomorrow. The results need to come back in before anyone realizes Anthony is missing. My dad could have bribed someone to bump the test to the top of the list but then someone might be suspicious. If the tech took money to move the test up the list then maybe he took money to change the report. My grandmother moving it up the list just looks like nepotism which isn't unusual."

Rose slipped into Michael's arms and asked, "How do you really feel about all of this?"

"I don't want Johnny or Ethan to get killed by Anthony or one of the other families. This has to happen and I don't mind it. I get along with Johnny. He's always been great to me. He understood me a lot more than anyone else with the exception of maybe Jason and my cousin, Lucky. Our lives aren't carbon copies of one another but Johnny understands what it means to grow up in the business and not really feel like you belong anywhere else. I've got no problem calling him my brother."

"That is a crazy secret to keep from everyone. I mean no one else is going to know the actual truth, right?" asked Rose.

"Dad, Mom, Jason, Sam, Spinelli, Ethan, Johnny, you, and me are the only people that will know the truth. Even Milo didn't know why he was causing a distraction at the hospital. He was just following orders. No one else can ever know truth."

Rose placed her hands on either side of Michael's face and brought him in for a tender kiss.

Afterward he grinned, "What was that for?"

"That is for keeping your word and trusting me enough to tell me everything. Thank you."

"I promised you that we would be partners in everything and I wouldn't go back on that, Rose. I watched my parents struggle to make their marriage work but it couldn't with all of the secrets my dad had. That wasn't their only problem but it was a pretty big one. My mother always wanted to know more than my dad was willing to tell her. I never want that to be us."

Rose confessed, "I overdid it today and was exhausted by the time Kristina left."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion and asked, "Why are you telling me that?"

"I don't know. You made me feel bad about lying to you about something so petty when you came home and told me something so…huge."

He laughed and said, "I would prefer that you just told me the truth about that but I understand why you didn't. I'm worried about you and I know that you know it."

Rose nodded and said, "I hate that you are worried. There is so much going on. This situation is the last thing you need. Things are going to be changing with the two families merging. We're graduating high school. It is just one thing after another."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Rose. I don't look at it as a challenge I see it as me getting everything I've ever wanted. I married the girl that I love, we have two great sons, and I'm a member of the Corinthos organization. What more could I want?"

She smiled softly, "World peace?"

"Maybe for Christmas," said Michael with a grin.


	30. Chapter 30

Michael Corinthos, III walked down the stairs of his father's home dressed for prom. He was wearing a black Canali suit, white button up shirt, and a silver tie. His hair was shorter than normal and he tamed the spikiness for the night. His only goal was to make sure Rose had an amazing night.

He didn't really care about prom or high school but he knew how much it all meant to Rose. He couldn't think of anything he wouldn't do to make his wife happy.

As he entered his father's office, he smiled at the scene before him. Sonny, Jason, Johnny, and Ethan sat in chairs around the elder man's desk discussing how to join their two families seamlessly.

Sonny looked up from a chart spread across his desk and grinned seeing his son looking dapper and so much like a grown man.

"Mike, you look great. Rose is going to be impressed by you."

"I'm the one that is always impressed by her. She wouldn't even tell me what her dress looks like. She said I would just have to wait until tonight to see it."

Johnny smiled, "What time are you picking her up?"

"Rose is going to call me when she and Kristina are finished getting ready. I'm dressed like three hours too early but it doesn't take me as long to get dressed. It was great of mom to let them use her suite at the Metro Court. Dante and Lulu are babysitting at our house but Rose wouldn't have had a moment of peace if she tried to get ready there. How is this coming along?"

He was still worried about this proposed alliance. Michael knew the hate and distrust between Sonny and Johnny ran deep. It would be hard to make this situation work even out of necessity.

Johnny said, "It is going surprisingly well. Many of our ventures overlap. I guess that is one of the reasons we bumped heads so much over the years. That and Sonny is insufferable, but we are making headway. We are going to mix some of our crews."

That was news to Michael. He assumed that they would be keeping everything separate but under the same general umbrella. This was a game changer.

Jason said, "It is the best way to show a united front and to build trust between the two families."

Johnny added, "It is fine and dandy for Sonny and I to be on the same page but we need our employees to be on the same page as well. By mixing the crews everyone will realize that there is no yours or mines. Everything belongs to the Corinthos family."

"What happens if there is in fighting?" Michael asked as he had a seat on the leather couch in Sonny's office.

Sonny said, "It will be handled swiftly and with extreme prejudice. There will be no in fighting in this family. We are all of one accord or you aren't welcome. That goes for every one of my guys."

Johnny said, "Mine too. If the other families smell dissension in the ranks, they will descend on us like a pack of wolves. There is news. Sonny and I have come to a decision about you."

Michael started to feel worried. Sonny could be very convincing. He wondered if they struck some sort of deal to shut him out of the Corinthos organization. His father had said for years that he would never allow him to join the business. He couldn't stop him from joining the Zacchara organization but he could block him now.

He asked, "Really? What have you two decided?"

Ethan chuckled, "Calm down, mate. It isn't what you're thinking."

Sonny said, "I know that Ethan is moving to Manhattan when you go to college in the fall. He was supposed to help you with the sports book and show you the ropes. Johnny also has a club there that is in disrepair. However, it still has a liquor license."

Johnny said, "You and Ethan are going to be running the club together. We are also going to start doing the high stakes poker games again. They are held at rotating locations to cut down on the chance of the cops being able to bust them. We have a couple of cops on the take that will give us a heads up if a raid is going to go down. Jason is going to handle the sports book."

"I thought I was going to be doing the sports book."

Sonny said, "The other families have been trying to muscle in on Johnny's territory there. They are likely to be very angry when we start making moves to expand."

That revelation shocked Michael. Sonny and Johnny were not just merging families. They intended to expand their territories. Things were bound to get very ugly but he was thrilled to be in the thick of things.

"Well, whatever you two need me to do I will do. I don't know a lot about managing a club but I will learn."

"I still want you to manage the club here in Port Charles over the summer. That will give you a lot of on the job training," Johnny explained.

Michael said, "I'm your man. I am excited for the opportunity. How is everything coming along with the courts? Will everything be done in time for the dinner party?"

Sonny said, "Well, with the DNA results back in Johnny and I were able to fill out all of the paperwork. Now Diane is trying to speed up the slow moving wheels of bureaucracy. I want everything in order before the dinner party. It is a very long guest list. I invited family and friends."

Jason's cell phone started to ring. He said, "This is Spinelli. I'll be right back."

After Jason left the room, Michael said, "I told Rose the truth about this situation but I haven't told anyone else."

Johnny said, "I'd expect no less for you two. I think it is good that you can share everything with Rose. She is your biggest supporter."

"She really is my biggest supporter. I'm lucky that she understands all of this. Most girls would not understand why I want this so much."

Sonny said, "Well, she grew up around the life. She understands that there is more to a mobster than his crimes. She is good for you. I was worried when I realized how much she supported your dreams but I think that will be one reason you two have a long and happy marriage."

He was starting to think there was something to Michael's logic. Carly was always his biggest supporter. He couldn't count the number of times she lied to the police or perjured herself in court. When they were first married years ago, he was so adamant about keeping Carly out of his business that it forced a wedge between them. He was beginning to think that this time around should be different. She knew about the plot to legitimize Johnny as his son and she was willingly helping him. It was nice not having to keep the truth from her this time around.

Jason walked back into the room and said, "We've got a problem. Anthony's body just turned up on a bench in the park."

Johnny asked, "How is that even possible?"

Jason and Sonny exchanged looks because they both had the same culprit in mind.

Sonny said, "Franco…"

Michael sighed and shook his head. Franco had been the one to unearth Claudia's body. That meant that he was watching them again although it was more likely that he never stopped. He was obsessed with Jason for some reason and it was psychotic.

Johnny said, "That freak! We were this close to killing him on your island. If Michael's shot would have been a little to the left…no more Franco."

That tidbit managed to get Sonny's attention. He wasn't aware that it was Michael that took the shot at Franco. He would talk to his son about that later. Right now, they had to focus on finding him and doing damage control.

Sonny said, "This throws our plans out of whack. We were going to wait until after Johnny's paternity reveal to make Anthony's body appear. Now the other families know he is dead and the police will be at Johnny's door and probably mine. Both of us have good reasons to want him dead."

Johnny said, "That also means the other families will be ready to pounce on me. I am the next target with Anthony out of the picture."

The younger man put his head in his hands and thought over the situation.

Michael asked, "What can I do?"

Sonny said, "Nothing. You have a prom to attend tonight. I want you to go and have fun with your wife. This situation will be here in the morning. You can help then."

"Dad, someone might be about to kill Johnny. I can't just do nothing. Let me help until Rose calls me to pick her up."

Ethan said, "Johnny could get out of town until the news about his paternity breaks. He can be safely tucked away on one of your islands."

"I'm not running from this, Ethan. In any case, it would only make me look guilty to the police. I would have them to answer to when I came back. Considering I am guilty that isn't a great place to start."

Michael said, "Johnny could always stay in one of the penthouse suites at the Metro Court. The elevator doesn't even go the top four floors without a resident specific pin number. Franco is back in town so security at the Metro Court has to be increased. No one has to know that Johnny is staying there."

Sonny tilted his head to the side and said, "That's not a bad idea. The police will still be looking for Johnny. They will think he had something to do with Anthony's murder unless we….oh…"

Johnny looked up hearing Sonny begin to laugh.

Ethan asked, "Are you going to clue the rest of us in on the joke, mate?"

"We need to make a big and very splashy attempt on Johnny's life tonight. It will look like a botched hit. They'll come to him asking about his enemies and who would want him and his father dead," said Sonny.

Jason said, "That is a lot of moving parts to get in motion in a matter of hours."

Michael said, "I know I am the youngest person in the room but…just hear me out."

Johnny said, "I trust you, Michael. What are you thinking?"

"What do you think about staging an attempt on Dad's life too? Then it looks like someone is trying to wipe out both organized crime families in Port Charles."

Jason said, "That will go a long way to lowering us on the suspect list. Sonny, I think it is the best move."

Johnny said, "Let's do it. It will throw the cops and the other families off the scent. They will be inclined to wonder if one of them made the move on their own. Maybe instead of cutting up the territory in Port Charles one family is greedy and wants it all."

Sonny smiled he was proud of Michael in spite of himself. His son was smart and had the ability to go far in this business even if it was the last thing Sonny wanted for him. He was also pleased at Johnny's idea. He would prove useful in the organization.

"We just need to find a way to orchestrate two fake hits tonight," Sonny said.

Jason said, "Well, we could always use the explosives we were going to use to blow up Anthony's place to make an impromptu car bomb. It wouldn't be hard to wire it to the electrical system in Johnny's car. He auto starts it with his keys and it blows up. He needs to be somewhere very public like Jake's or Vaughn's."

Johnny said, "That would be perfect. Ethan and I can stay at the bar for an hour or two. When get ready to we leave…kaboom. The good thing about the auto start is that I can trigger it when no one else is around. I don't want there to be any collateral damage. I always park around back at Vaughn's. It is my private parking area and no one should be back there."

Jason said, "Sonny, I think we should rig your car to blow as well. It would need to be somewhere public but mostly deserted late at night."

Ethan asked, "Warehouse?"

Sonny said, "I think Poluzzo's would be a better fit. All of the shops on the street will be closed at that time of night. There are rarely people walking down the street. It will be the perfect location."

* * *

Alexis Davis walked out onto the terrace at the Metro Court's restaurant. Her heart was heavy as she thought about Kristina's upcoming graduation. She felt as if she was losing her little girl. Sam tried to reassure her by pointing out that she already had an adult daughter. However, it was not the same. Sam came into Alexis' life as a fully-grown adult. She was gaining something but this felt like a loss.

Tonight Kristina would attend her senior prom and then nine days from now she would graduate from Madison Preparatory Academy. In a few short months, Alexis and Sonny would be packing up their daughter's belongings and driving her to New Haven, Connecticut. It was the circle of life but that did not mean Alexis was prepared for it. Frequently, she found herself on the verge of a panic attack.

She quietly shuffled to the table where Carly Jacks, Theresa Marino, and Olivia Falconeri were already seated and waiting for her to join them.

"I'm sorry that I'm late."

Olivia said, "Not to worry. Carly got your text message and we ordered your meal. Our orders should be out of the kitchen soon."

Alexis sighed in relief and had a seat.

Carly said, "And I ordered you a very large glass of wine because I know you were meeting with Tracy and Luke. He told me all about it before he left for the meeting. He is staying here while they are on the outs. The things we do for family."

"I just spent the most strenuous two hours of my life handling their divorce mediation. This is why people just shouldn't get married. That way when you want to end the relationship you can just walk away."

Carly said, "I can't disagree with that line of thinking. You had a front row seat to my disastrous divorce from Jax but the custody battle was truly the worst."

Every day she was grateful that Sonny was Josslyn's father. She truly believed that Jax would have succeeded in winning sole custody otherwise. Sonny promised that he would take care of the situation but she had the distinct feeling that he would have destroyed Jax in the process. Both men had the propensity to be reckless when the other was involved.

Theresa added, "You're preaching to the choir. Marco and I are happy to end our marriage. The fight for custody of Xavier is causing the most trouble. Thank you for recommending Diane Miller, Carly. She has been amazing."

Olivia laughed, "I guess I should count myself lucky that I have never been married or divorced."

Carly said, "I've seen the way Steve Webber fawns over you. It won't be long until he's on bended knee asking you to be his wife."

Olivia blushed, "Things have cooled off between us since that whole fiasco with Lisa Niles. She nearly killed his sister and Elizabeth is having a hard time recovering from the situation. He is taking care of her in the meantime and I am giving him space."

Carly rolled her eyes and said, "Don't get me started on Elizabeth. Lulu told me that she has been trying to get her hooks into Lucky again. She had an affair with his brother. There is no going back from that. I am speaking from personal experience on the subject."

Carly's joke brought laughter from the women at the table.

Alexis said, "Well, I guess we should get down to business. We have a lot to cover tonight."

Carly took out her tablet and said, "First, order of business is the dinner next Friday night. Spinelli set up an e-vite page and everyone that is invited can RSVP so that we know who is coming."

Olivia asked, "What is it all about? Sonny was very vague when he mentioned the party to me."

"He hasn't said much more to me. He just gave me the parameters for the evening and the guest list. He has been very busy with a lot of different things this week."

Alexis took a sip of wine and said, "I thought it might have something to do with the two of you. Wedding bells perhaps?"

Carly laughed and nearly choked on her wine.

"I just divorced Jax. I am not ready to get married again to anyone."

Olivia smiled, "You're not denying that there is something going on with you and Sonny."

Alexis said, "I've gone over to Sonny's house a few times late in the evening and he hasn't been there…"

Carly was not ready to discuss her relationship status. It was all too new and Sonny's life was in upheaval now.

Carly said, "Moving right along…the kids' graduation is the following Monday. Sonny wants to hold a party for the graduates at his house. Any objections?"

Alexis said, "The guest list would be much too long for the lakehouse and I don't want to clean up afterward."

Theresa said, "Marco and Rose are barely speaking to one another and my penthouse is too small."

Carly said, "Michael hates Marco. All right, the best location is Sonny's house. He is not going to have time to cook so we will cater from here. No fuss, no muss. I'm thinking three separate cakes for our graduates. We can ask each of them for their favorite flavor."

Olivia said, "The pastry chef here should be able to handle that."

The servers arrived at the table placing meals in front of each woman and then leaving them alone.

Alexis said, "This duck smells amazing, Carly. I am glad we decided to make plans here. I am starving."

"Well, I figured we could have dinner and the girls are upstairs in my suite getting ready for prom. We can be here to snap pictures when they come out of the elevator."

"Thank you for what you're doing for them. Kristina was so excited to having a professional hairstylist and makeup artist to help her get ready for prom, After everything that happened with Keifer I just want her to have a normal night," Alexis shared.

Theresa nodded in agreement, "I so want this night to be special for my Rosie. She has been through the wringer these last couple of years. I want her to have one good memory of high school. Well, other than meeting Michael. I still can't believe our kids are married."

Alexis said, "Thank God I don't have to worry about that for a little while. I don't think I could stand it. I'm having enough anxiety about Kristina moving away for college."

Carly said, "Just imagine it being your son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. I already told Sonny I'll be in Manhattan a couple weekends out of the month to check on them and help them out."

Theresa laughed, "I will be there every time I have more than a day off from the hospital. The separation anxiety is going to be horrible."

Carly said, "I intend to smother them over the summer. There will be plenty of time to spend with them. We still have to find a place for them in Manhattan. They'll need our help to decorate their new home."

"Oh, Rose mentioned they need to find a dependable nanny. We can definitely help with that. I am happy that they got into the colleges they loved but I wish they were both at Port Charles University."

Carly said, "You and me both."

Alexis said, "I have to say, Carly, when you first suggested this dinner I thought it was insane but this is a really good idea."

Carly said, "Well, like it or not our families and our children are connected. Especially for the three of us we are in the very exclusive club as the mothers of Sonny's children. The older they get the harder it is to keep the bonds tight. If that means we get together to plan meals or parties every once in awhile then so be it. It is even more important with Michael, Kristina, and Rose going away for college."

The four women ate dinner and discussed a myriad of topics. They were thoroughly enjoying one another's company until Sonny walked out onto the terrace.

Carly said, "I'll be right back."

Olivia and Alexis shared a knowing look but didn't say a word.

Sonny and Carly walked back into the hotel. She took his hand and led him to the her office for privacy

She asked, "How is everything going? Jason didn't give many details when he said that you were too busy to talk. I was worried something was wrong."

He thought about lying to Carly or only giving her the partial truth. She was known to become extremely angry but if they were going to make this work, he had to at least try the being honest. Neither of them was good at relationships with other people. They were too connected to one another for it to work.

Sonny said, "Carly, I love you."

"Oh God, you're going to propose," said Carly.

"What? No, I mean I can if you want me to…that didn't come out right. Carly, I love you and I think if things continue to go as amazing as they have been that I will be on one knee proposing to you."

She laughed, "I don't want you to propose right now. I was scared that was what you were doing. Alexis and Olivia got into my head. I guess they've noticed the change in our relationship, too. I love you, too, Sonny but we aren't ready to get remarried. I want date for a long time to make sure we don't kill one another. What is going on?"

Sonny relaxed visibly and said, "I can't believe I am doing this. You know what I do, Carly. I'm not going to change or retire. I'm not going to hand the business over to Jason anytime soon. This is my life and I want you in it. I want you to be happy. I want you to feel like you can trust me. I decided to steal a page from our son's book. He tells Rose everything and I thought that maybe I should do the same with you. You are always my best ally, Carly. Maybe I should start treating you like that but that means not going off the deep end. It means not getting involved. It means letting me run my business and not taking a bat to the five families."

At first Carly didn't know what to think about what Sonny was saying. He had spent so many years shutting her out. However, she soon realized the lengths he was willing to go to in order to make their relationship work this time around. If he was willing to make that sort of sacrifice then she should be able to make it too.

"I'm older than I was when we first got married. I have my own business that I run very well. I'm not looking to be a part of anything. I am also more aware of my own mortality. I have three children and two grandchildren that need me alive. I am not going to put myself in harm's way by getting involved in a situation that might get me killed. I appreciate you being willing to talk to me about the business. It is such a large part of your life. Sometimes it consumes every facet of your life and it used to leave me feeling out in the cold."

Sonny said, "Franco's back and he unearthed Anthony Zacchara's body before we were ready. We are scrambling to throw suspicion off of us and onto the rival families."

Carly asked, "What can I do?"

"I need a penthouse suite to hide Johnny and Ethan. When the other families find out Anthony is dead Johnny will be their next target."

"Done. I'll have housekeeping prepare a suite now. Anything else?"

Sonny said, "We are going to stage an attempt on Johnny's life and mine to throw suspicion away from us. My car is going to blowup when I get ready to get into it. I want you with me. Please."

"It sounds dangerous, Sonny. I don't want anything to happen to you. I want you to be here for your children and - me."

"It won't be dangerous. We have it all planned out just so but I understand if you would rather not be there, Carly."

Carly looked into his eyes and she nodded, "What time? I'm supposed to be here to watch Michael leave with Rose."

"I know. We'll stay here until the kids leave for prom and then we'll go to my office and stay there a few hours. Then we will leave and it will happen. You won't be in any danger. You can stay inside until it is over if that will make you feel better."

"I want to be there with you, Sonny. I know this is about protecting our family."

He caressed her cheek and smiled, "I was thinking I might cook dinner for you while we are at Poluzzo's tonight."

"I'd like that, Sonny."


	31. Chapter 31

Rose walked into the living room of Carly's hotel suite completely dressed for prom. The floor length dress was made of silver lace and contained a nude liner underneath. It was backless and embellished with crystals. Her dark brown hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back. A make-up artist from the hotel's spa flawlessly did Rose's make-up. Underneath the dress, she wore a pair of silver Cartullo pumps that made her five inches taller.

She looked over at Kristina seated on the couch. She was pouting even though the evening was enjoyable so far. Both girls had enjoyed a delicious meal courtesy of room service after spending the entire afternoon at the spa. Professional stylists came in to do their hair and make-up for prom courtesy of Carly.

Rose asked, "What's wrong, Krissy? You look very sad for someone wearing such an amazing dress. Miles is going to be speechless when he sees you tonight."

Kristina's dress was a sassy number that featured a strapless teal and black fitted bodice with a black feather skirt at the bottom. She also wore a pair of teal colored Cartullo peep toe heels. Her hair was pulled up into a stylish up do that showed off the impress necklace and earrings she was wearing.

"I'm just thinking about Ethan. I feel guilty going to prom with someone else while he is still recovering from being shot. He still won't tell me how badly he's injured. He is trying to protect me but it just makes me worry more. Ethan is the best thing that ever happened to me, Rose. The thought of him dying scares me."

Rose felt a pang of guilt seeing Kristina so worried. She knew that Ethan was in Port Charles and that he was on the mend. However, that information was relayed in confidence. She couldn't betray that even to help Kristina. That was especially true with the new drama taking place in Port Charles. No one could know that Johnny and Ethan were just a few floors away in a penthouse suite.

Rose said, "I know how you feel. When Michael left Sonny's house the day of Josslyn's party I was terrified. I didn't know what was going on or if he would come back to me safely. It is not an easy life to live, but it is the one that I have chosen. You get to make the same choice, Krissy. You can date Ethan knowing that he will risk his life every time he is working. However, you can also decide that you want a normal boyfriend. Someone that isn't involved with the mob and doesn't risk his life on a daily basis. I doubt anyone would fault you for choosing the latter. That includes Ethan as well."

Kristina quietly considered the advice Rose was giving her. She did have a choice in the matter. She could walk away from this relationship. Finding a boyfriend in Port Charles was next to impossible because of her father's reputation and Alexis' involvement in Keifer's death. However, in a few months she would be a freshman at Yale University. It would be a completely new world of people that didn't know her sordid past or her parents. She could find a boyfriend and live any life she wanted.

"I love Ethan. I caused him so much pain and he was nearly killed because of my lies. Yet somehow, he still managed to care for me and love me. He once threatened Anthony Zacchara's life to protect me. When I realized that he was falling in love with Maya, I was heartbroken, Rose. I hate to admit it but I was so happy when she left, but then I saw him heartbroken and I hurt even more. He has never treated me like a kid. He respects my thoughts and me. Ethan doesn't look at me differently because of things I have gone through. When I'm with him I feel normal and it has been a long time since I have felt that way. No one ever makes me feel special. My mom went out of her way to keep my dad out of my life. I grew up not knowing him well but at the same time knowing that he would always love Michael more. My mother loves me but I can't help feeling like this giant mistake she made with a man who she despised so much she didn't even tell him about me. I feel like I disappoint her at every turn. Molly is the perfect one. Ethan dulls all of the negativity in my head down to a whisper."

Rose said, "I understand how you feel more than you know. Those reasons are very similar to why I fell so deeply in love with Michael. It is nice to find someone that loves you completely. Some people love parts of you but not the complete package and a relationship does not work that way. You should keep that in mind about Ethan. If you are going to be with him then you need to accept his line of work or the two of you should just be friends."

"I guess I have a lot to think about and some time to think about it. Ethan said he won't come home until next week."

"There is nothing wrong with being certain, Kristina. It is okay to take a deep breath and think about what you really want. At the end of the day, you are the only one that can make that choice. However, tonight is not the time for that. You have a very cute date that is going to take you to prom and we are going to have a great time."

She asked, "Are you and Michael going to ditch me like last time?"

Rose laughed softly, "I'm sorry. That just wasn't Michael's thing and it wasn't mine either. We love hanging out with you but we really didn't have anything in common with your other guests."

"Well, after prom there's a party at Jennifer Glass's house. We're invited and I think we should at least make an appearance. This is our last hurrah as high school students. We have to live it up."

"I'll have a word with Michael and see what he thinks. If we go, I can't promise that we will stay long. We are going to get a room here at the Metro Court. Dante and Lulu agreed to watch the boys tonight."

She sighed, "The two of you were boring married people before you were even married. You make me sick with your cuteness."

Rose laughed, "Are you sure you want to live with us? We'll be boring married people in the city, too."

Kristina said, "I'll have Ethan. We will have plenty of things to do in the city. We'll go to museums and night clubs. I never feel alone when I'm with him."

Rose smiled and said, "Well, we should get ready to go downstairs. Our dates and parents are waiting for us in the lobby. We are officially fashionable late for prom per your request."

Kristina picked up her clutch purse and said, "I guess you are right."

"Cheer up. I know Miles isn't the guy you wanted to go to prom with but he is cute! We are going to have a great time at prom and then we'll go to the silly after party with you if it'll put a smile on your face."

"Really?"

Rose laughed, "I'm such a sucker. Let's go, Krissy. I am going to text Michael to let him know that we are coming down."

Kristina chuckled and followed Rose out of the hotel room and into the elevator.

Michael was waiting in front of the elevator with a corsage in hand when Rose and Kristina stepped out. He smiled brightly and took Rose's hand. Michael would never get tired of seeing his ring on her finger.

"You look so beautiful, Rosie," Michael whispered into her hair. He slipped her corsage onto her wrist.

Rose smiled and said, "You are looking pretty hot yourself, Corinthos. I love you in this suit. Oh, I might have promised your sister that we would go to Jenny Glass' party after prom."

He laughed, "How does Krissy convince you to do these things."

"The same way she convinces you to do her bidding. She is a little sad about Ethan. I thought it might cheer her up. I am just glad that Miles was willing to take her to prom since Taylor had a date."

Michael looked over to where Miles was putting Kristina's corsage on her wrist. He was a good guy Michael befriended on the baseball team. Miles was a good friend and he might have had a small crush on Krissy.

She asked, "Are you okay?"

He kissed her cheek, "I'll be fine after tonight. I just want to have a good time with you at prom. That's all that matters to me. You deserve for this night to be perfect. I want you to look back on this night years from now and remember one great thing from high school."

"Michael, I will always look back on high school fondly because I found you."

Rose felt bad that he was trying so hard to make this night good for her. The last thing he wanted to do was go to prom with a bunch of people he didn't like. He managed to make some friends over the year but his heart wasn't in this. Michael's mind was going to be firmly on Sonny and Johnny and she couldn't blame him. Their plan was hastily thrown together and any number of things could go wrong during the execution phase. Moreover, Franco was back and that made her skin crawl. The man was unhinged and there were no limits to his cruelty.

She said, "Don't look now but here come the parents. Smile big so that we can get out of here without a fight."

Michael looked behind him and sure enough, they were all present with their cameras in hand. He listened as they spoke over one another trying to set up the pictures.

As the cameras flashed and pictures were taken Michael zoned out and he thought about the night ahead. He couldn't let Rose down and no one wanted him in the thick of things tonight but he felt guilty not being with his father and new brother when they needed him the most.

Rose squeezed his hand and Michael snapped out of his trance. He realized now that their parents had finished taking their pictures.

Sonny said, "I don't like this dress at all. I should have got a look at it before now. Alexis, I can't believe you are letting our daughter go out dressed like this."

Kristina huffed, "Dad, there is nothing wrong with this dress. Everything is covered and I'm an adult. I get to choose my own clothes. Besides everyone buys dresses like this for prom."

"Rose's dress doesn't look like that," said Sonny.

Rose laughed and said, "Please don't pull me into this and my dress is backless."

Michael grinned, "A great place to rest my hand all night long."

Alexis said, "I didn't see her dress either. I have been busy with work. I wouldn't have wanted this dress but it is nice and she is covered even if it is less covered than either one of us would like, Sonny. No arguing tonight."

Marco walked up to Rose bumping Michael out of the way on purpose. He said, "You look beautiful, angel."

Michael said, "I am going to give you a moment with your father, Rosie."

Marco grunted and said, "That would be good. It would be better if you annulled this farce of marriage and left her alone altogether. I don't know what Rose sees in you. You're not good enough for my daughter."

Carly rushed over and grabbed Michael's arm. She didn't want a repeat of the scene at the hospital. Her son had little patience for the man.

Michael turned around and said, "Don't make me knock you out again."

Marco shoved Michael and said, "You sucker punched me before."

Sonny stormed over getting between the two of them. His eyes were dark and he said, "Put your hands on my son again and you'll have me to deal with Marco. I'll forget our years of friendship."

He scoffed, "Are you threatening me?"

Michael said, "I don't need you to fight my battles, Dad. I'm perfectly capable of putting Mr. Marino in his place."

"Oh right, you're a mobster now. You think you are tough."

Michael said, "I don't think I am tough. I'm just not about to be bullied by a man that has spent his whole life sitting behind a desk pushing papers. You don't know anything about me but I'm willing to teach you."

Rose said, "Stop it. Michael is my husband and you will treat him with respect or you will find yourself short a daughter and you are losing children very fast. You show him the respect he deserves or you stay away from us for good. Escúchame. Usted estará muerto para mí, Papa."

Michael flashed a smug smile at Marco and said, "Rose, we should be going. We're already late for prom."

She hugged Theresa and said, "I love you, Mama. I will see you tomorrow. Let's go, Michael."

He slipped his arm around Rose's waist after hugging Carly and walked her out of the Metro Court.

* * *

About two hours after arriving at prom Michael and Rose danced to Damian Rice's song The Blower's Daughter. She rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed to the song. The night had been wonderful so far. There were no dustups to speak of and the country club's ballroom was exquisite. There was a photo booth for fun snaps and a professional photographer on hand for portraits. Madison Prep had spared no expense on the senior prom this year. Although she doubted they would skimp on the event with all of the parents with deep pockets.

Kristina was having a grand time with Miles and that certainly made Michael happy. Rose knew that he was only at prom for her benefit but she was glad that he was enjoying himself. He joked with some of his friends and had a few laughs. The best gift for Rose was seeing her husband enjoy himself, too. They took pictures like the rest of kids and for once, she felt normal.

He sang against her ear, "I can't take my eyes off of you. I can't take my eyes off of you. I can't take my eyes…"

When the song ended, they separated and Rose looked up into his eyes. She said, "You already married me. There's no need to be so amazing. Thank you for tonight. I know there are other places you'd rather be right now."

He chuckled and said, "I can't promise to always make you happy but I promise to always try. The rest of the world can wait. I promised you a memorable night and I intend to deliver. Do you want something to drink? Or eat? I think there are still some appetizers left on the buffet."

Rose said, "No, I'm not hungry for food that's been picked over and left in warming trays for hours. I was thinking we could just order room service when we go to the Metro Court for the night."

"I like that idea much better but we are stuck here for awhile. Krissy wants to stay until they announce king and queen."

She sighed, "I know but they should be doing that soon. They know everyone leaves early. The after parties are always more fun than prom anyway. Everyone just comes here for the pictures."

Bryce strolled over with a smirk on his face. He said, "I didn't think you'd have the balls to come to prom, Corinthos. Did they have a prom in prison? Were you named queen?"

Rose rolled her eyes. She could smell the liquor on his breath. Bryce had been a jerk all year but never more than when he had something to prove. The boy had an ego made of crystal. His latest issue was that Michael received team awards for best hitter and most dedicated player for the season at last night's baseball banquet. He was also named All-Conference earlier in the week along with Bryce and Miles, but that didn't seem to matter. He hated that Michael bested him at something.

Michael said, "I don't want any trouble, Bryce. I'm just here to have a nice time like everyone else. You're drunk. You should just walk away."

Bryce pushed Michael and said, "Maybe I'd rather dance with your wife. Show her what a real man is like. I bet she'd like that."

Rose smiled, "The last time you touched me I kneed you in the groin. Don't make me do it again, Bryce."

He laughed, "Always letting her fight your battles. I guess we know who wears the pants in your marriage, but then you're used to being the bitch, aren't you?"

Kristina ran across the room seeing the standoff between Michael and Bryce. She didn't want her brother to get into a fight during prom. Miles was right behind her.

Bryce laughed harder, "Look there goes the other one that fights your battles. You two have always been so close that we all wondered if you two weren't screwing."

Kristina scoffed and said, "Don't be disgusting! Michael is my brother! You're the only pervert here."

More people started to crowd around them. Some of them were on Michael's side and others supported Bryce. It was very different from earlier in the year when Michael didn't have a friend in the world.

Michael just smiled and said, "You're pathetic and you should be concerned about yourself if you have been imagining me having sex with my sister."

That brought laughs from the assembled crowd and it just made Bryce's face redder.

He continued, "I don't need either of them to fight my battles. We should talk, Bryce. Man-to-man and without the huge crowd."

Bryce was a little put off by Michael's calm demeanor. He knew the kid was a Grade A psycho, but he couldn't back down now with everyone watching. He said, "Sure."

Michael slung his arm around Bryce's shoulders and walked away with him.

Kristina asked, "Should we be scared?"

"No, Michael is going to keep his head. He won't let Bryce get under his skin, not tonight."

However, Rose wasn't so sure about that. He was already stressed about the Franco situation and then Marco started an argument at the hotel. Bryce was playing with fire and didn't even know it.

A few minutes later Michael returned to Rose with a smile on his face. He said, "Everything is fine. Bryce is going to make himself scarce for the night."

Kristina and Rose watched Bryce scurry like a rat to the other side of the room as the crowd broke up. They both looked at Michael for some sort of explanation but none was given because the headmaster started talking.

"Good evening, everyone. I hope all of you are having a great time and I hope that you all have a safe night after you leave prom. With that being said, the co-chairs of the prom committee are excited to announce the prom king and queen for the class of 2011. Everyone please give them a round of applause."

Two bubbly girls, Jenny and Melissa, took the stage. "We had a lot of votes this year and we are very happy to announce that the king is…"

Melissa opened the envelope and passed it to Jenny. She had a stunned look on her face as if she couldn't believe the results.

"Michael Corinthos," said Jenny, the shocked look on her face said everything.

Rose looked at Michael and said, "Congratulations, baby. This is incredible!"

He kissed her and said, "Wow…I didn't see this coming. I'm glad we came or I would have missed out."

Michael walked onto the stage where he was presented with a sash, a crown, and a scepter.

Jenny said "And now to announce the queen. Our queen for the class of 2011 is…Rose Corinthos."

Kristina squealed in excitement and hugged Rose, "Oh my God! I am so happy for you, Rose! Get up there."

Rose felt a little numb as she walked onto the stage and joined Michael. She couldn't imagine that many people voting for her. Sure, she had made friends over the year from the volleyball team, debate team, Spanish club, and student government, but that hardly seemed enough to win prom queen.

The girls helped put the sash and crown on Rose. Afterward, they handed her a dozen roses.

Jenny grabbed the microphone and said, "And now for the dance…"

Michael took Rose's hand and led her off the stage. They walked into the spotlight as Christina Perri's song Jar of Hearts began to play. He pulled Rose close and began dancing to the song.

"Michael, this is amazing," said Rose.

He whispered against her ear, "Only the best for my wife."

She giggled and then closed her eyes as she danced with Michael. She always wanted to remember this moment. He was right about tonight being memorable. It was that thought that made her eyes spring open and she began to laugh against his chest.

Michael looked down and asked, "What's so funny? It isn't my dancing is it?"

"Oh, you know that I like your dancing. I was just thinking about how this is a bit of a setup. Let me guess…I have Spinelli to thank for this most surprising win."

He grinned like the cat that swallowed the canary. He said, "That is why I love you so much. You know me so well. The minute I heard that voting would be done online, I cooked up this scheme. Are you angry?"

Rose said, "Not at all. I have the best husband in the world. How could I be angry at him for making my dreams come true?"


	32. Chapter 32

Kristina stood out on the deck drinking a beer and listening to the music with Miles at her side. He had been the perfect gentleman all night, not that there was a chance for much else with Michael and Rose along for the ride. Periodically, she checked inside the house to ensure her brother and sister-in-law hadn't abandoned her.

She knew that high school parties weren't their scene and she was grateful they agreed to attend this one for her benefit. After Keifer died the invitations to parties sort of dried up. This felt like things were finally back to normal. She looked gorgeous at a party on the lake with all of her friends. Kristina didn't know what more she could ask for.

Miles asked, "Do you want another beer?"

"I don't know I was thinking about getting a cup of that punch."

He said, "I don't know. I smelled it they must have put the entire liquor cabinet in the punch."

Kristina smiled, "I'm hardly likely to get into trouble with Michael and Rose here to look after me."

Miles said, "I wouldn't let anything happen to you either, Kristina. I like you and Michael would kick my ass."

She laughed. "You're right he would. Michael always looks out for me."

"So punch or beer?" asked Miles

"I guess I'll take another beer. Thanks, Miles."

He smiled at her before disappearing into the house.

Kristina watched him and then felt a little guilty. She took out her phone and sent Ethan a message. Kristina wished he would just come back home so that she could see him.

A few minutes later Miles returned with two bottles of beer and leaned against the railing looking at Kristina. He said, "You look beautiful, Kristina."

She smiled, "I know you're only doing this as a favor to Michael."

He said, "That's not completely true. I like you, Kristina. I know you have a boyfriend so I wouldn't try to make a move on you, but I do like you. If anything ever changes between the two of you - look me up. Cambridge isn't that far of a drive…"

Michael walked out onto the deck and found Kristina in the throng of high school students. He grabbed her arm and said, "Krissy, I have to go. Something serious has come up."

She huffed, "You and Rose are just trying to go back to the Metro Court. You two have all night for that. This is our last party before we graduate. We should be enjoying this."

"No, it isn't that, Krissy. I just got a call from my mom. Dad has been shot and he is being taken to the hospital. I don't really know what is going on. She didn't give many details."

Her eyes widened and she said, "I'll come with you."

Michael shook his head. "There is no need for you to ruin the rest of your night, Krissy. I am sure that everything is fine. Rose and I will take the limo to the hospital but I will send the driver back so that you and Miles have a way home later."

"Don't be ridiculous, Michael. Our father is in the hospital because someone shot him. I'm not just going to stay here and continue to party. I am coming with you. Miles, I am sorry for just ditching you. Maybe we'll talk later."

He smiled. "I understand that you have to go. I had a great time, Kristina. I'll get one of the guys to give me a ride home. I hope everything with your dad is okay."

Kristina hugged him. "Thank you."

Michael clapped Miles and the back and said, "I'll talk to you soon."

The siblings walked into the house and out the front door where Rose was already waiting in the limo. They climbed in and the driver shut the door behind them.

Kristina asked, "Carly would tell you if Dad was hurt bad, wouldn't she?"

Michael nodded and said, "She didn't give many details over the phone but from the sirens I think she was in the ambulance. Just don't panic until we know what is going on, Krissy."

Rose reached over and squeezed Michal's knee. She knew about the plan for Sonny's car to blow up but being shot was not part of the original plan. She didn't know if the plan changed over the course of the evening or if something went wrong. Either way she knew Michael was putting on a brave face for his sister's benefit.

Michael's fingers flew over his phone as he sent a text message to Johnny. He only hoped that Johnny's setup had gone better. Tonight was turning out to be a disaster and it was mostly Franco's fault. His unearthing Anthony's body forced them to speed up their well-laid plans.

He felt like he had just been punched in the gut. They staged hits and on the same night, someone actually took a shot at Sonny.

Soon enough the limo came to a stop in front of emergency entrance for General Hospital. The driver opened the back door and everyone slipped out.

He said, "Mr. Corinthos, I will be in the parking lot. Please call me when you are ready to leave the hospital."

Michael nodded and said, "Thank you."

Lucky ran toward them as they prepared to enter the hospital. "Michael!"

"What do you know about what is going on, Lucky?" asked Michael.

Lucky said, "I just got a call from Mac that Sonny had been shot in front of Poluzzo's. All I know is that Dante was there to call it in. I'll know more once we get inside. They're on the 4th floor."

The group walked into the hospital and made a beeline for the elevators.

Kristina said, "I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe someone shot Dad. I thought everything was going good between him and Johnny."

When they stepped off the elevator onto the fourth floor, it was a bevy of activity. Several doctors, nurses, and uniformed police officers quickly circulated around the floor.

Michael spotted Carly covered in blood. He ran over to her feeling the panic welling up inside of him. As he got closer, he could smell the heavy scent of smoke and gasoline clinging to her clothes.

He asked, "Are you okay? Is Dad okay?"

Carly hugged Michael and said, "Dr. Webber is in with him now, but he thinks Sonny will be fine. He was shot in the shoulder and arm but the bullet passed through without hitting the bone. The biggest concern is that he caught a little shrapnel from the car bomb. Steve thinks he can remove it without surgery. It is good news, Michael."

Kristina was standing beside Michael and felt a weight lift off her shoulders when Carly said Sonny would be fine. Her relationship with their father had ebbs and flows but she would be devastated if he died. Kristina always loved him and she knew that he loved her.

"Can we see him?" she asked.

Carly hugged Kristina and said, "Dr. Webber will let us know when he is done so that we can see him. You three should have a seat in the waiting room. I'll come and get you. I'm sorry about ruining your night."

Michael said, "Don't be silly, Mom. I am glad that you called. I want to be here with Dad and you."

"Sonny is lucky to have all of you. Do me a favor and don't say anything about this to Morgan or Molly. I want to tell Morgan myself and I am sure Alexis will want to do the same with Molly."

Michael nodded. "If you need me to do anything just let me know."

Carly smiled. "I will."

He led Kristina and Rose over to the waiting room where Max and Milo were sitting.

Kristina asked, "Were you guys protecting my dad tonight?"

Milo complained, "We should be back there with Mr. C. We should have been with him tonight at the restaurant."

Max said, "He was having date night with Mrs. C. He didn't want us skulking around for that. I've got a perfect line of sight to his room. If anyone even heads in that direction, we will take care of it. You don't have to worry about your old man, Kristina. He's made of tough stuff."

Milo heaved a sigh. "At least we were able to protect Johnny and Ethan."

Max's eyes widened and he slapped Milo across the back of the head.

Kristina asked, "Ethan is in town?"

A glazed look settled over Milo's face. He didn't know how to respond to that question without digging himself a deeper hole.

Max said, "Milo needs to go downstairs to wait on Jason to arrive."

Milo smiled gratefully and quickly took his leave.

Kristina said, "I am going to call Ethan. I can't believe he is back in town and didn't tell me!"

Rose watched Kristina walk away and then kissed Michael's cheek. She asked, "Is there anything I can do for you, Michael?"

"Just be here with me. You know what this means, Rose."

"I do."

"This was either Franco or the families from New York. One situation is more manageable than the other is. I am going to go for a walk I need to clear my head."

Rose nodded. "I'll text you if there is an update on Sonny."

He kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

Michael walked onto the elevator and took it up to the top floor. He was glad the coast was clear because he was able to climb the small flight of stairs and walk out the roof door without being stopped. He needed some fresh air. The hospital was making him feel claustrophobic. As he walked out into the cool night air, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Panicking wouldn't do him any good.

Michael spent 30 minutes on the roof and finally felt better. He went back down to the 4th floor. He was about to go to the waiting room when he passed an opened door and saw Dante sitting on a hospital bed.

"Dante."

Dante looked up hearing his brother's voice. "Michael. What are you doing here?"

"My mom called and told me what happened. That was sort of the end of prom night. Krissy and Rose are here, too. Are you okay? I didn't know you were hurt."

He said, "I'm fine. I'm just waiting to get the all clear from the doctor. I had to have X-rays because I was so close to the blast."

"I'm glad that you are okay. Lucky mentioned you were with Dad when all of this happened but it never occurred to me that you might have been hurt. This is crazy, huh?"

"Yeah. That describes it. I know you have been cozy with Johnny lately. Do you think this was him?"

Michael shook his head. "They've had a truce going since before my wedding. Something big would have had to happen between them to change that."

"Johnny's warehouse burned to the ground."

"You know Dad wasn't behind that and Johnny knows that too. I don't know who would go after Dad but he has a long list of enemies."

Dante knew that Michael was right. Johnny was very low on his list of suspects since someone tried to blow him up that night. Someone was targeting Johnny and Sonny. That meant things were going to get very messy in Port Charles.

Lucky walked into the room with a cup of water. "Here I thought your throat might be dry. I've breathed in smoke and inferno hot air before."

Dante gratefully took the cup and drank the water. His throat felt like sandpaper. He rubbed at his soot-smudged forehead and tried to prepare his thoughts.

"You've been through hell tonight. You don't have to answer these questions now. It can wait until morning," Lucky said.

"No. You need my account of tonight's events so that the investigation can begin. I want these people found because tonight could have gone very wrong. My father and Carly could have killed."

Michael said, "I should go."

Dante said, "No. I want you to stay, Michael. Is that okay Lucky?"

Lucky nodded. He sat back in the chair and took out a notepad. "Start whenever you are ready but take your time. Oh, Mac said you aren't to leave here until you are released. He won't have you out on the street with a concussion or worse."

Dante said, "My mother already gave me the same set of orders. I won't be going anywhere until I get a clean bill of health. After Johnny's car exploded outside of Vaughn's I took his statement and I turned the scene over to Detective Padilla. I knew Sonny would be suspect number one so I decided to go interview him. I talked to my mother and she said that Sonny and Carly were on a date at Poluzzo. When I pulled up, they were just walking out of the restaurant. I told Sonny about the incident at Vaughn's and asked him where he was. Carly got angry and he asked her to go back into the restaurant."

Lucky was writing notes but he could also sense that something was very wrong with Dante. He was torn between doing his job and checking on his friend.

"I was interviewing Sonny outside of the restaurant. He swore he had nothing to do with the attempt on Johnny's life. I was writing it all down when I heard the screech of tires from down the street. The next thing I know I'm on the ground with my dad on top of me. He was shielding me from the gunfire. The car actually stopped for a minute to spray the entire area with bullets. Just then, Sonny's car exploded and the shooters sped away from the crime scene. I just managed to get a glimpse of the car as it drove away. It was a newer model Ford Explorer. It was black with heavily tinted windows. The license plate was missing. After I got off the ground I realized that my dad was bleeding…bad. I tried to get him to sit down but he was determined to go inside to check on Carly. She was a little shook up and cut by some of the broken glass but otherwise she wasn't injured. When I finally got him to sit down, I saw that he'd been shot twice. He was shot once in the shoulder and once in the arm. He was also bleeding from his side. He was hit by shrapnel from the car bomb."

Lucky said, "All of you are lucky to have survived tonight. I'll get this description to Mac so that we can issue a BOLO. Hang in there, Dante."

Michael put his head in his hands not understanding how the night went so wrong.

Once Lucky was out of the room Dante asked, "Michael, do you know what's going on? I know you've been close to Johnny lately. I've had my theories about what that means. I'm not asking as a cop. I am asking as your brother that nearly lost his father tonight."

"I can honestly say that I have no idea what is going on, Dante. Not a clue."

Michael's phone vibrated and he pulled it from his pocket.

"Something wrong?" asked Dante.

"No. It is just a text message from Rose. My mom is saying that we can see Dad now. I should go around there. Are you okay here by yourself?"

He nodded. "I'll be fine. You should go. I'll be over there as soon as I get the all clear from the doctor."

Michael smiled at Dante and then left the room. He rounded the corner and saw Carly waiting for him outside of Sonny's room. She was now wearing a clean pair of scrubs procured from the hospital.

Carly said, "Sonny wants to see you."

He hugged Carly and then walked into the room. He closed the door behind him. "How are you doing Dad?"

"Dante and Carly are okay. That is all that really matters to me. I'm sorry this disrupted your night."

Michael had a seat beside Sonny's bed and said, "I didn't even want to go. My place is with you, Dad. In the business or not my place is always with you."

Sonny smiled at his son and said, "I want you to have a normal life. I want you to do the things that young men your age are doing. I know that isn't what you want for yourself and I respect that but you can't blame me for wishing a better life for you."

"What happened tonight, Dad?"

He said, "Someone decided to make a very big move on me. This wasn't Franco's style. I think the news of Anthony's death forced the other families' hands. They saw upheaval and decided to try to exploit it."

"Well, you survived. What do we do now?"

"Jason has already made arrangements to increase security. We will have to be careful until we can pinpoint who is responsible."

Michael said, "I talked to Rose about staying at Greystone Manor. She knows it will be best for all of us. We'll go there tonight."

"I am glad to hear it. Dante being in the line of fire was enough. I don't want any of my other children at risk. I don't want to lose any of you."

Michael hugged Sonny.

"I need you to do me a favor. Make sure your mother leaves tonight. She can't stay here all night and you know that she will try."

"I'll take care of it, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Mike."

Michael walked out of the room and stopped next to Carly. "Are you okay, Mom?"

"I'm fine. I am happy that Sonny is going to be okay. When I saw all of that blood-I didn't know what to think. Kristina has already seen Sonny. You should get her home."

"Are you coming with us?" asked Michael.

Carly shook her head. "No, I'd like to stay here with Sonny."

"If you stay here with Dad he's going to check himself out against medical advice. He doesn't think the hospital is safe for you to be here. Come home with us please so that he doesn't walk out of here tonight."

Carly's eyes widened and she stormed into Sonny's room. "You are going to leave AMA if I don't go home with Michael?"

Sonny looked at Michael.

Michael shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, I will. I need to know that you are safe. You will be safe at home. Go there with our children and our grandchildren, Carly."

Michael said, "Rose, the boys, and I are going to stay at Greystone for awhile."

Carly sighed and walked over to the bed. "I don't want to leave you. Not after what almost happened tonight."

Sonny kissed her hand and said, "The only way I'll be able to rest is if I know that you are safe. Max and Milo are going to stay here all night to guard me and I'll be released by noon."

"Fine. I'll go home to Greystone," said Carly. She kissed his cheek and then walked out of the room.

Sonny looked at Michael. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll see you in the morning, Dad."


End file.
